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The 10 best online travel agencies in 2024

The top 10 online travel agencies.

• Booking.com
• Lastminute.com

Best online travel agencies for business travel

1. travelperk.

Main offerings and features:

• Industry-leading travel inventory
• Flexible booking with FlexiPerk
• Safety alerts with TravelCare
• Integrated travel policy & approval flows
• Centralized invoicing
• Easy & real-time expense reports
• Carbon offsetting with GreenPerk
• 24/7 fast customer support in target 15s
• VAT reclaim
• Integration with 3rd party tools , such as expense management or HR software like Expensify and BambooHR

Save time and money on your business travel with TravelPerk

2. sap concur.

• Works with some of the biggest brands
• Easy tracking and reporting of expenses for expense reports
• Many connected apps, such as Uber and Airbnb for cars and hotels
• One solution for a variety of business travel spending

Click below to compare both platforms’ features and benefits

• Ample integrations
• Award-winning mobile app
• Employee-centric travel management

Click below for a more detailed comparison between both platforms:

Best online travel agencies for leisure travel, 1. booking.com.

• Intuitive booking tool and website
• Flight + Hotel booking for easily planning trips with no cross-referencing travel websites
• Simple car rental options and taxi hire
• Available in over 40 different languages and offers over half a million properties across 207 countries
• You can book experiences in your destination city to entertain you on your travels
• Genius rewards program

• Simple interface and booking tool
• Deals when making more than one booking
• 38 different languages and offers a 24-hour, multilingual customer support service
• Free cancellation within 24 hours of booking
• Millions of reviews to help make your decision

3. Lastminute.com

• Filter hotels according to budgets, star ratings, guest ratings, board types, and more
• ATOL protection on flight + hotel bundles
• Flash sales for last-minute deals
• Payment plans to spread out the cost of travel
• Extra entertainment booking for your trips, like theatrical productions and day trips
• Gift cards for gifting travel

• Expedia rewards for hotels, cars, and more
• Experienced support
• Compare cruise lines
• Big savings when booking flights, hotels, and car rentals
• Operates in nearly 70 countries and in over 35 different languages
• Luxury travel options

• Book hotels, flights, cars, and bundles
• 24/7 support
• Lower prices on the app
• Great last-minute deals for spontaneous travel

6. Bookmundi

Best online travel agencies for flights

1. skyscanner.

• Super flexible booking filters
• Cheaper flights and hotels than other OTAs
• Price alerts for travel routes of interest
• Easy-to-use booking tool and UI
• Hundreds of location and currency options
• One-way, return, and multi-city travel options

2. Kiwi.com

• Simple flight booking tool
• Partnerships with Booking.com and Rentalcars.com
• Discover deals anywhere with the option to open up your search
• Easy-to-use app

How do online travel agencies work?

What are the advantages of booking through an online travel agency.

• Access to comparison tools
• Peer reviews to help you with your decisions
• Flexible cancellation policies
• All your travel in one place
• Local flights and deals

Rewards programs

Comparison tools, peer reviews, flexible cancellation.

Flexiperk: Cancel anytime, anywhere. Get a minimum of 80% of your money back.

One account for all of your travel needs, a local approach to global travel, wrapping up.

Make business travel simpler. Forever.

• See our platform in action . Trusted by thousands of companies worldwide, TravelPerk makes business travel simpler to manage with more flexibility, full control of spending with easy reporting, and options to offset your carbon footprint.
• Find hundreds of resources on all things business travel, from tips on traveling more sustainably, to advice on setting up a business travel policy, and managing your expenses. Our latest e-books and blog posts have you covered.
• Never miss another update. Stay in touch with us on social for the latest product releases, upcoming events, and articles fresh off the press.

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

• Best Overall: Booking.com
• Best Budget: Skyscanner
• Best Price Predictor: Hopper
• Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
• Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
• Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
• Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
• Our Top Picks
• Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

• See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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Top online travel agencies

Based on Cloudbeds’ data gathered from thousands of customer properties between 2021 (the benchmark used in our last report) and 2023, we’ve seen a remarkable pace of recovery for OTAs. While top OTAs like Booking.com, Expedia, and Airbnb have held onto their spots as the highest-revenue generating OTAs, we saw China’s Trip.com rise two spots, indicating the return of Asian travelers to the market. Here are the highest revenue-generating OTAs of 2023.

Highest revenue-generating OTAs

1. booking.com.

Booking.com is one of the largest and most popular travel websites in the world, with over 1.5 million nights booked every day. Its website and mobile apps are accessible in 43 languages and feature over 50 million verified guest reviews of properties in 200+ countries. Its parent company, Booking Holdings, includes OTA brands and metasearch engines such as Priceline.com, KAYAK, Agoda, Rentalcars.com, OpenTable and more.

Expedia.com is the flagship brand of Expedia Group, which includes 200 travel booking websites, including Hotwire, Orbitz, Trivago, and Travelocity, serving 75 countries in 35 languages with over 600 million monthly visits. The website includes searches for all types of accommodations, as well as booking flights, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. By activating the Expedia connection, properties will broadcast their inventory on Hotels.com, Wotif, and many other channels.

Airbnb is known for providing access to unique accommodations around the world, with the vast majority of properties located outside of main hotel districts. While the company continues to expand into hotel room inventory following its acquisition of HotelTonight (known for booking last-minute lodging), its community expects a certain type of experience. Namely, something that is less cookie-cutter and more oriented to the local vibe.

4. Hostelworld

HostelWorld is a leading OTA for hostel-focused accommodations worldwide, with 12+ million guest reviews. Their inventory also includes hotels, B&Bs, and other budget accommodation types. Hostelworld aims to be a leader in social travel via its online booking options and mobile app, addressing the needs of guests who want to make connections with others as they experience the world around them. Their app and website operate in 20 different languages.

Agoda was founded in 1998 and later acquired by the Priceline Group (now called Booking Holdings) in 2007. Agoda’s website is available in 38 languages and focuses on listing all types of properties. It’s currently one of the leading online travel booking sites for the Asian market but is pushing into the US, India, and European markets.

6. Trip.com

Trip.com is China’s leading provider of travel services including reservations for accommodation, transportation, tours, and corporate travel. Founded in 1999, the company owns and operates several other OTAs and aggregators, including Trip.com, Skyscanner, Qunar, and Ctrip. 

7. Hotelbeds

By connecting to Hotelbeds, will gain unrivaled exposure to the travel industry’s largest network of B2B buyers, including more than 71,000 tour operators, travel agents, airlines, and loyalty & points schemes which can be great for business travel. 

With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, Vrbo caters to a diverse range of needs and preferences, offering everything from cozy, intimate cabins for romantic getaways to spacious, well-appointed villas suitable for large family reunions or group vacations.

9. Traveloka

Based in Indonesia, Traveloka is one of Asia’s largest online travel agents. Traveloka lists hundreds of thousands of properties across Southeast Asia, Australia, and around the globe. The company also provides lifestyle products and services, such as tickets to attractions, activities, car rentals, and restaurant vouchers.

10. Despegar/Decolar

Despegar/Decolar is a leading online travel company in Latin America, with Despegar functioning as the global brand and Decolar representing the brand in the Brazilian market. Their marketplace operates across 20 markets and offers a broad suite of travel products in the region, including airfare, hotel bookings, travel packages, and other travel products to a large customer base.

Highest revenue-generating OTAs by country

Based on Cloudbeds data, we’ve highlighted the OTAs that are generating the most revenue for our customers in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.

Hostelworld has moved up on the list across multiple countries, demonstrating that demand for hostels (jumping 5 spots in Thailand and the Philippines), shared accommodations, and experiences is back. In addition, we can see the return of Asian travelers as Agoda and Trip.com rise in North America and make their first appearance on Latin American lists. 

Top 10 OTAs in the U.S

• Booking.com
• Hostelworld 
• Agoda 
• HotelTonight 
• Hotelbeds 

Top 10 OTAs in Canada 

• Booking.com 
• Expedia 
• Dorms.com 
• Mrs & Mrs Smith
• Tripadvisor

Top 10 OTAs in Mexico

• Hostelworld
• Despegar/Decolar 
• PriceTravel
• Mr & Mrs. Smith

Top 10 OTAs in Spain

• Keytel 
• Mr & Mrs Smith

Top 10 OTAs in other countries 

Learn more about the top revenue-generating OTAs around the world in our Big Book of OTAs, including:

• Philippines

Highest niche revenue-generating OTAs

What are niche otas.

Niche OTAs are online travel agencies catering to specific audiences and travel needs. Many niches exist today, including OTAs for skiers, campers or glampers, adventure travelers, luxury travelers, and more.

Niche platforms can be the best online travel agencies as they are built to target more specific guest segments. Once you identify what guest segments make sense for your property, you can look into local partnerships to expand your offerings to provide a more tailored experience that complements your guests’ travel plans. For example, if you have a property close to the beach, you can find local surf instructors to partner with and offer lessons through your booking engine to attract surfers. When the guests check in, you can show them where the best surf is in town to improve the guest experience.

After a guest’s first trip is booked through a niche OTA, the guest will likely forego OTAs for their next trip in favor of booking directly on the hotel website. Niche OTAs are an essential part of any property’s online distribution strategy as they build loyalty and encourage direct bookings, helping hotels make money.

In the niche OTA market, many new channels have emerged over the past few years, especially surf & sport OTAs and luxury OTAs.

Highlighted niche OTAs surf & sports 

The global surfing tourism market is predicted to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 6%, from 9.5 billion USD in 2022 to 17.1 billion USD by 2032. Travelers are increasingly looking for unique experiences, many tailored to specific activities like surfing, and seek out properties that cater to their needs. Today, the top revenue-generating Surf & Sport OTAs include:

Thermal offers a handpicked collection of the best surf trips in the world, with a focus on amazing guides who create one-of-a-kind, authentic experiences.

Good Story has an inventory of surf hotels and internationally recognized surf schools and camps for both novice and experienced surfers. 

Surf Holidays provides unique places to stay with quality local surf instruction to deliver the surf holiday of a lifetime on some of the best breaks in the world. 

Luex Surf & Snow Travel connects travelers with operators/ suppliers of once-in-a-lifetime sports travel experiences and products.

KiteSurfHolidays.com specializes in kitesurfing holidays, including accommodations and kitesurfing schools.

Highlighted niche OTAs luxury

In May 2023, Deloitte reported that the luxury travel industry had rebounded to pre-pandemic levels and is currently thriving, with a global market value of 1.2 trillion USD. Bookings at five-star hotels rose 19% over the first three quarters of 2021, and luxury travelers are more keen than ever to experience “Instagram-worthy” experiences in unique and remote locations. 

The following OTAs cater to travelers looking for luxury accommodations:

Mr & Mrs Smith includes a collection of carefully curated hotels that are first anonymously evaluated and visited by staff. This exclusive OTA works on an invitation-only basis. 

Prestigia is made up of hand-selected quality and unique hotels from all over the world. This OTA offers the best price guarantees, promotions, and exclusive offers. 

icastelli.net luxurious, historical, and unique high-level hotels are the property types found on this OTA. Collections include exclusive boutique hotels, golf hotels, spa hotels, and more.

i-escape provides unforgettable travel experiences, including eco-retreats, safari lodges, and boutique hotels. Also included is an award-winning booking system with a direct dialogue between guests and property and free advice from travel consultants. 

Tablet Hotels the official hotel selection of the MICHELIN Guide. This OTA showcases hotels that provide meaningful experiences to guests, regardless of budget. 

Spotlight – LGBTQIA+ OTAS

The global LGBTQIA+ travel market is valued at over $568.5 billion USD annually . While many countries have become increasingly welcoming to the queer community, discrimination is still prevalent today. A Booking.com study revealed that 58% of LGBTQ+ travelers face discrimination while traveling, and 41% canceled a trip within the past year after seeing their destination wasn’t LGBTQ+ friendly. 

 OTAs like ebab have emerged to offer safe and friendly accommodations to the LGBTQIA+ community.

Top OTAs by property type

Our data shows that while the top global OTAs dominate across almost all property types, some OTAs offer more opportunities for specific property types.

Channels such as Hostelworld have traditionally been popular for searching for hostels, while channels such as Vrbo and Airbnb have catered to vacation rentals. However, we’ve seen that our hotel customers are increasingly adopting Airbnb as part of their channel mix. Airbnb welcomes hotels that have a unique, independent environment and style.

Download our Big Book of OTAs to see the list of the five most popular channel connections by property type, including:

• Most popular channel connections for Hotels & Boutiques
• Most popular channel connections for Hostels
• Most popular channel connections for Vacation Rentals
• Most popular channel connections for Bed & Breakfasts

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The 10 Best Online Travel Agencies: The Top OTAs to Connect to in 2024

Lexi DeMers

Online travel agencies don’t just make life easier for travelers. The best online travel agencies also offer a variety of benefits to business owners. From accessing niche markets to the billboard effect, listing your hospitality business on popular travel sites has many perks. 

These sites can help you cover low-season lulls or ensure you maximize your bookings year round. In this article, we’ll cover the best online travel agencies for hoteliers and other accommodation providers, as well as the benefits they offer. Discover how online travel agencies can help you capture your share of the $521 billion online travel market . 

The 10 Online Travel Agencies with the Highest Revenue 

Before you take the time and effort to list your business on a new channel, you’ll want to make sure that it will actually help you gain new guests. Below are the 10 best online travel agencies worldwide by annual revenue , as reported by Statista. 

Booking.com

Edreams odigeo, tripadvisor, manage all your channels with one centralized booking system, a closer look at the best online travel agencies.

All online travel agencies are not created equal. In fact, many channels cater best to specific businesses. Though listing your property on the highest earning online travel agencies is a great strategy, it is even better to understand the markets that each OTA serves.

Booking.com is a global powerhouse in the online travel agency sector. Its expansive platform includes a diverse array of property types, ranging from hostels to resorts to apartments. So it is a great OTA option for a variety of business models. Renowned for its user-friendly interface and extensive property listings, Booking.com attracts travelers from around the world. 

Hotels can seamlessly integrate with this booking engine, streamlining their reservations and room management. On average, Booking.com charges businesses a 15% commission on every booking, though this rate can vary from region to region. 

Expedia is a leading online travel agency known for its global reach and comprehensive travel offerings. This one-stop shop caters to travelers searching for accommodations, flights, car rentals, and vacation packages across the globe. 

Business owners benefit from Expedia's tools like the Partner Central platform, which aids in managing bookings, optimizing rates, and enhancing visibility. Expedia's loyalty program, Expedia Rewards, encourages repeat bookings which is why it is one of the best online travel agencies for hoteliers. However, depending on the region your business is in, Expedia charges 10% to 30% commission. 

Airbnb is a unique online travel agency that connects travelers with a wide range of accommodations, from cozy private rooms to entire homes. While it first gained fame for its home-sharing platform, it has expanded to include boutique hotels and traditional accommodations. As such, it ranks toward the top of our list of the best online travel agencies. 

Accommodation providers can tap into Airbnb's extensive network, reaching guests from around the world. While there are a few different options, most hosts on Airbnb are charged a 3% commission. Meanwhile, Airbnb charges a 14% service fee to guests on top of the nightly rate you set. 

Trivago is one of the best online travel agencies, but getting your property on the site isn’t as straightforward as the other options on this list. Trivago is a metasearch engine that scours the Internet to find the best hotel deals for travelers. It collects hotel listings and prices from various online travel agencies, hotel chains, and booking sites. 

Owners can leverage Trivago by ensuring their listings are well-optimized on other OTAs. Since it doesn't handle bookings directly, Trivago doesn’t charge business owners any commission and instead gets its revenue from other sites that advertise there. 

Despegar is one of the best online travel agencies for the Latin American market. It offers a wide range of travel-related services, including hotel bookings, flights, and car rentals. With a strong presence in Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, Despegar gives travelers a convenient platform to plan and book their trips.

Business owners looking to tap into the Latin American market can benefit from listing their properties on Despegar. It allows them to access a diverse and growing customer base while also providing travelers with options tailored to their preferences and language. Hoteliers can expect to pay 10% to 15% in commission on bookings from this site. 

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As one of the largest online travel agencies globally, Trip.com offers a variety of services to travelers. Formerly known as Ctrip, it has a strong presence in the Asian market but has expanded its reach to cater to a diverse international audience. Travelers can use Trip.com to book hotels, flights, trains, car rentals, and other travel-related services. 

Accommodation providers aiming to attract travelers from Asia and beyond can benefit from partnering with Trip.com. As one of the best online travel agencies, it provides access to a vast customer base seeking a variety of accommodation options. By listing on Trip.com, you can expect to pay anywhere between 10% to 25% in commission. 

eDreams Odigeo is a leading European online travel agency that serves as an umbrella for several well-known brands, including eDreams, Opodo, GO Voyages, and Travellink. It caters to travelers seeking a wide range of travel products and services. By partnering with eDreams Odigeo, accommodation providers can tap into the European market and beyond. 

Whether you run a boutique hotel or manage a large resort, listing your property on one of the  eDreams Odigeo sites allows you to reach travelers from various European countries. Depending on the exact site you list your business on, you may pay commission or your guests may pay service fees. 

As a prominent online travel agency in India, MakeMyTrip has a strong foothold in the South Asian market. It offers a range of travel services, including flights, hotels, and holiday packages. By listing your property on MakeMyTrip, you can tap into the growing Indian travel market and attract travelers looking for both domestic and international accommodation options. 

MakeMyTrip's user-friendly interface and extensive marketing efforts make it a valuable platform for reaching travelers across India and the Indian diaspora. After some controversy over excessive rates in 2019, MakeMyTrip pledged to cap its commission at 22% . However, your guests will also be charged a booking fee when making reservations on this site. 

If you're targeting spontaneous travelers or those seeking last-minute deals, Lastminute.com is the best online travel agency to consider. As the name suggests, it specializes in providing travelers with a wide array of last-minute options, from flights and hotels to car rentals and activities. 

On Lastminute.com, you can attract travelers looking for instant bookings, making it an excellent choice for filling short-notice vacancies. This is great for offering discounts during off-peak periods or showcasing special promotions. To learn more about the commission rates Lastminute charges, it's best to reach out to the company directly. 

Tripadvisor is renowned for its comprehensive database of traveler reviews. But it's also a powerful online travel agency, offering an extensive platform for accommodations, restaurants, and attractions. 

By delivering exceptional experiences to your guests, you can earn positive reviews that attract more travelers to your property. Tripadvisor offers various tools for property owners to manage their listings, showcase their amenities, and respond to reviews, ensuring your property's reputation remains stellar. Plus, Tripadvisor only charges owners a 3% commission fee. 

What Are the Benefits of Using an Online Travel Agency?

Online travel agencies have revolutionized the way the hospitality industry operates. They offer a wide array of benefits that cater to both travelers and accommodation providers. In this section, we'll explore the key advantages of collaborating with some of the best online travel agencies.

Your business. Your Bookings. Your way.

Higher Booking Volume.   Of course, the main goal of listing your property on an online travel agency is getting more bookings. These sites have large audiences, which can lead to a substantial increase in bookings. 

Market insights. The best online travel agencies provide valuable data and market insights that can help you understand traveler preferences, booking patterns, and trends. In turn, this can inform your pricing, marketing, and property management strategies.

Build an Online Reputation. Many OTAs offer a review system that allows previous guests to share their experiences. Positive reviews and ratings can build trust and credibility, encouraging potential guests to choose your property.

Easier international reach. If you have international guests in mind, the top online travel agencies can help you reach travelers worldwide. They also often support various languages and currencies, making it easier for international guests to book.

Billboard effect. The Billboard Effect describes the phenomenon in which accommodation providers gain more direct bookings on their own websites after listing their property on OTAs. It illustrates that these platforms serve as powerful marketing and distribution channels.

How to Find the Best Online Travel Agencies for Your Business 

While listing your business on all of the best online travel agencies is a smart move, you can go a step further with OTAs. If you want to find the absolute best online travel agencies for your business, you’ll need to identify sites that fit your niche. 

Many OTAs cater to specific audiences, such as Thermal for surf trips and Bookatrekking.com for trekking adventures. There are also great online travel agencies for other niches, including luxury accommodations, yoga retreats, family hotels, and more. Take some time to explore various platforms’ user base and commission rates to determine which OTAs would be best for your business. 

How Can I Manage Multiple OTAs?

While having a presence on multiple OTAs can offer big rewards, having to log into and manage several different platforms is extremely time consuming. Not to mention, you risk double-books and other errors. Thankfully, you can use a channel manager to help streamline your bookings across multiple online travel agencies. 

At Bookinglayer, we offer Channels ; a fully integrated, user-friendly channel manager that allows our clients to maximize their revenue without spending extra time on administration. Channels allows business owners to integrate with up to 35 different platforms while conveniently managing everything from one simple dashboard. 

Want to Learn More About How Bookinglayer Helps Business Owners?

Bookinglayer is an all-in-one software suite designed specifically for adventure travel businesses that have complex booking scenarios. If you want to offer accommodation and activities, Bookinglayer is the most comprehensive platform on the market.

Whether is optimizing your booking flow, automating your payment processing, or streamlining your daily reports, we can help you save time, reduce errors, and increase conversions. You can sign up for a free demo to discover if you are the right fit for our software suite. 

Best Online Travel Agencies FAQ

What is an online travel agency.

An online travel agency is a web-based platform that allows users to research and book a range of travel-related services. Also known as OTAs, these marketplaces display services from various providers. They often include accommodation, flights, rental cars, tours and activities, and more. 

How do online travel agencies work?

Online travel agencies are third-party services that offer users a convenient and easy way to plan and book travel experiences. They aggregate travel services, facilitate bookings, collect payments, and publish reviews. In return, they oftentimes earn a commission from the bookings they sell.  

How do OTAs make money?

OTAs typically make money by charging business owners a commission on the bookings they sell. These commission rates can range from 10% to 30%, depending on the platform you choose and the region you operate in. In addition, some OTAs may also charge customers a service fee to help cover the costs of running the platform. 

What is the downside of using OTAs?

The downside of using an OTA is that you will likely need to pay a commission to the platform. As such, many business owners prefer to collect direct bookings. Nonetheless, the best online travel agencies serve as a great way to advertise your property and can help you increase your revenue despite the commission charges. 

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Are Online Travel Agencies Safe To Use? 👨🏻‍💻 17 Best Online Travel Agencies For Seamless Journeys: Travel Like A Pro ✈️

Are Online Travel Agencies Safe To Use? Online travel agencies are generally safe to use, but it’s essential to choose reputable and well-established platforms with positive customer reviews.

The rise of online travel agencies (OTAs) has made travel planning and booking extremely easy in today’s world.

By providing passengers from all over the world with a variety of services, offers, and packages, these platforms have changed the travel business.

Online travel agents can help you with your search for flights, hotels, holiday packages, or tours.

🤔 What are online travel agencies?

4. travelocity, 5. skyscanner, 6. lastminute.com, 8. trip.com, 10. booking.com, 11. expedia, 12. tripadvisor, 14. priceline, 15. cheapoair.

• 🧐 Things To Consider While Making Reservation Through OTA's

⭐ Advantages & Disadvantages of Online Travel Agencies

Q. is it cheaper to book online or through a travel agent, q. do online travel agencies offer better deals than airlines and hotels directly, q. can i trust user-generated reviews on online travel agency platforms, q. do online travel agencies provide customer support, q. are there any hidden fees when booking through online travel agencies.

• Q. Are the Online Travel Agencies Reliable?

Q. Do Online Travel Agencies offer personalized itineraries?

Q. are online travel agencies more expensive than booking directly, q. can i book international trips through online travel agencies, 😇 conclusion, 🗨️ tell us in the comments as per you which one is the best online travel agencies.

Online Travel Agency (OTA) is the name for a website that sells travel services. It lets customers book flights, hotels, and other trips all from one place. They are like a travel agent in the digital world.

📃 List of 17 Best Online Travel Agencies at Your Fingertips

After a lot of research and considering travelers’ reviews we have shortlisted some of the best online travel companies that are operational nowadays.

• Travelocity
• Lastminute.com
• Booking.com
• TripAdvisor

A US-based internet travel company called VRBO focuses on vacation rentals. Landlords and managers can directly register their houses on VRBO, similar to Airbnb.

When booking through Vrbo, visitors may also get travel insurance. In addition to being a part of one of the largest travel companies in the world, VRBO has a reputation for being a trustworthy lodging option.

A website called Parkos.com makes airport parking stress-free. Thanks to the company’s new online platform, potential consumers can now compare various airport parking and facilities, make a reservation, and pay for it in advance of their trip day.

Both locals and visitors have provided overwhelmingly good feedback since Parkos entered the parking sector in 2014.

All technologically aided services revolve around giving automobile owners confidence that their vehicles are safe when they are away from them.

The majority of people may gain more from this comparison, but those who drive pricey high-end cars may find it interesting.

Also Read: 10 Best Places For New Year Celebration

Hotel reservations are the focus of Agoda , a multinational online travel firm located in Singapore.

Along with many other comparable OTAs on this list, it is owned by Booking Holdings, the parent company of Booking.com.

The Agoda network, which offers more than a million hotels and vacation rentals, is primarily focused on the Asian economy but has now grown into Europe and the United States.

The company’s marketing strategy is centered on giving customers affordable or reduced housing.

In 1996, Travelocity was established as an online travel agency with several services for customers. It is owned and operated by the international travel service provider The Expedia Group.

You can check for airfare and hotel bundles, choices for a rental vehicle, cruises, and more using Travelocity’s website.

Additionally, you can read travel-related articles, order tickets for well-liked attractions, and communicate your journey arrangements with loved ones.

A well-known company with a big customer base is Travelocity. They provide a huge selection of vacation packages, many of which are aimed at families.

Skyscanner is a metasearch aggregator that gathers prices for flights, hotels, and rental cars from all online travel agents (OTAs) in one location. Booking flights and hotels with Skyscanner typically results in the most affordable options.

After making your choice, you will be sent to a third-party booking form on the Skyscanner website where you can complete the transaction and reserve your flight.

Skyscanner is used by millions of people to compare rates and options for their travel arrangements. Simply said, it compiles and presents to customers all of the offers from all online travel agencies (OTAs).

Also Read: 15 Best Countries For Solo Travel 

City hopping is a popular pastime in Europe because of how close together the cities are. Among the top three booking sites is lastminute.com .

In this OTA, flight bookings are made through an aggregator website, and hotel reservations are made through an OTA, both of which we have seen before.

Finding last-minute discounts on hotels, flights, and all-inclusive holiday packages is the specialty of the website lastminute.com.

If you’re brave enough to play the chicken, Last Minute has the best travel deals. For tourists looking for a dealer who isn’t scared to wait until the last minute, there are a couple of better OTAs. We’re certain to have the flight or hotel bargain you’re looking for.

Members of Airbnb are allowed to advertise their available lodging and accept overnight reservations. However, the business has added hotels and homestays to its list of offerings.

However, Air b nb is extremely particular about the standards it must uphold when it comes to hotels that can be offered on its platform.

The majority of hotels must demonstrate their distinctive design, how the neighborhood affects their rooms, and how guests can access communal areas.

The most economical choice may be an Airbnb vacation rental. Additionally, compared to hotels, you are more likely to locate more beds in the same property on Airbnb.

Many Airbnbs provide sofas or futons to accommodate larger groups. For longer visits, many of these hotels provide kitchens and washing machines, enabling visitors to save money by preparing their meals.

The largest OTA in China, Trip.com , a Chinese firm, created Trip.com, an international OTA. Trip.com’s marketing initiatives are primarily aimed at domestic and international travelers to China.

Contrarily, Trip.com has a partnership with Booking.com that enables it to broaden its global reach.

Today, Trip.com has hundreds of millions of users worldwide. The organization wants to give both domestic and foreign travelers the best travel experiences possible.

Wotif also owns LastMinute, a website that offers last-minute discounts on lodging, transportation, and other travel essentials to Australians and New Zealanders.

This local internet travel business mostly caters to travelers from the UK and Europe. On this website, tourists can search for and buy flights, lodging, auto rentals, excursions, and package deals.

Also Read: 11 Best Ways To Become A Travel Enthusiast

The biggest hotel booking website in the world, Booking.com , also lets you book travel and a rental car. It can be used by travelers to learn about different types of lodging, locations, and offers.

However, making reservations for different types of lodging is where its true power lies. For the typical person, it serves as an all-inclusive travel agency.

Hotels and other accommodation facilities are only billed by Booking.com after a reservation is made.

There isn’t a monthly cost that must be paid. An all-inclusive internet travel firm called Bookin.com provides lodging and travel options all around the world.

Online travel agencies (OTAs) are a business model used by many E x pedia Group businesses, notably Expedia, the largest OTA.

The company was founded in 2001 and was based in Bellevue, Washington, in the US.

It is one of the most prosperous travel companies in the world, having localized websites in more than 40 nations.

Expedia has provided access to flights, hotels, and rental cars for more than ten years. They are the largest travel company in the world.

Its marketing plan places a strong emphasis on the value of providing affordable lodging options.

Expedia is an excellent option if you want to pay for your airfare, hotel, and car hire all at once.

One of the most well-known travel platforms, TripAdvisor provides a variety of user-generated information in addition to booking services.

Travelers get access to reviews, images, and ratings posted by other travelers, allowing them to plan their trips with greater knowledge.

The website also offers the ability to compare flights and book excursions and other activities, making it a complete online travel agency (OTA).

A meta-search engine called Kayak searches the internet for the finest travel offers on several platforms.

It provides full results on a single page by comparing costs for airfare, accommodation, rental cars, and other services.

Users of its “Explore” feature can find new places to go and the most cost-effective times to travel.

Budget-conscious travelers choose Kayak because of its simple UI and time-saving features.

The “Name Your Own Price” option on Priceline is known for allowing customers to place bids on hotel rooms and rental vehicles at the prices they like.

Priceline provides regular booking choices like flights, hotels, and rental cars in addition to the bidding system, which may not appeal to everyone.

Travelers who are flexible with their travel plans can take advantage of their Express Deals feature, which offers big reductions on unpublished rates.

Travelers seeking low-cost airline options without sacrificing quality are catered to by CheapOair .

The network appeals to people who are concerned about their spending because it offers exclusive deals and discounts on hotels, flights, and car rentals.

CheapOair makes arranging travel reservations simple with its user-friendly interface and round-the-clock customer service.

Flights, hotels, holiday packages, and activities are just a few of the travel options that Orbitz provides.

Orbitz Rewards, the platform’s loyalty program, enables customers to earn rewards and take advantage of special member advantages.

If customers discover lower rates elsewhere, Orbitz guarantees they will be refunded the difference with its price guarantee promise.

Hotwire is known for providing significantly lower rates for accommodation, travel, and transportation.

Partner hotels can offer lower rates without publicly undercutting their usual pricing because the platform hides the identity of specific hotels until after booking.

For tourists eager to take advantage of this method of surprise booking, Hotwire’s “Hot Rates” provide huge savings.

🧐 Things To Consider While Making Reservation Through OTA’s

When making reservations through an Online Travel Agency (OTA), consider the following:

• Price and Deals: Compare prices and look for exclusive deals and discounts offered by the OTA.
• Cancellation Policies: Understand the OTA’s cancellation and refund policies to avoid any inconvenience in case of changes in your plans.
• User Reviews: Check user reviews and ratings to gauge the reliability and quality of the service.
• Customer Support: Ensure the OTA provides accessible and responsive customer support for assistance during and after booking.
• Hidden Fees: Be wary of hidden fees or additional charges that may not be clearly stated upfront.
• Booking Security: Verify the OTA’s security measures to protect your personal and financial information.
• Travel Insurance: Consider purchasing travel insurance for added protection against unexpected events.
• Flexibility: Choose an OTA that offers flexible booking options to accommodate any last-minute changes.
• Available Services: Confirm that the OTA offers the services you need, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and activities.
• User-Friendly Interface: Opt for an OTA with an intuitive and easy-to-navigate website or app for a seamless booking experience.

Advantages of Online Travel Agencies

• Convenience: Users can book flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements from the comfort of their homes, saving time and effort.
• Wide Selection: Online travel agencies offer a vast inventory of travel options, providing a variety of choices for different budgets and preferences.
• Price Comparison: Users can compare prices across multiple airlines, hotels, and car rental companies to find the best deals.
• User Reviews: Travelers can read reviews and ratings from other users to make informed decisions about their bookings.
• Exclusive Deals: Many online travel agencies offer exclusive discounts and promotions for their customers.
• 24/7 Access: Online travel agencies are available round the clock, allowing users to make bookings at any time.

Disadvantages of Online Travel Agencies

• Hidden Fees : Some online travel agencies may have hidden fees or additional charges that are not disclosed upfront.
• Lack of Personalized Service: Unlike traditional travel agents, online platforms may lack personalized recommendations and support.
• Technical Issues: Technical glitches or website outages can cause inconvenience and delay in making bookings.
• Limited Flexibility: Some online travel agencies have strict cancellation and refund policies, limiting flexibility for travelers.
• Scams and Fraud: There is a risk of encountering fraudulent websites or services when booking through unknown or unverified platforms.
• Overwhelming Options: The abundance of choices on online travel agency websites can sometimes lead to decision paralysis for users.

🙋🏻‍♀️ FAQs For Online Travel Agencies

There are a lot of questions that come to our mind while making reservations through online travel agencies some of the commonly asked questions are answered below.

A. Booking online often offers better deals and discounts compared to traditional travel agents.

A. Yes, online travel agencies often negotiate special deals and discounts with airlines and hotels, which can result in more cost-effective options for travelers.

A. While most user-generated reviews are genuine and helpful, it’s essential to consider multiple sources and exercise discernment when making decisions based on reviews.

A. Yes, reputable online travel agencies offer customer support via phone, email, or live chat to assist with booking inquiries and travel-related issues.

A. While some online travel agencies may charge service fees or have specific booking terms, reputable platforms are transparent about any additional costs during the booking process.

Q. Are the Online Travel Agencies Reliable ?

A. Absolutely! Online Travel Agencies are reputable and reliable. They work with established partners and have a track record of excellent customer service.

A. Yes, they do! Online Travel Agencies take your preferences and interests into account to craft personalized itineraries tailored to your needs.

A. Not necessarily. Online Travel Agencies often secure exclusive deals and discounts, making them competitive with direct bookings.

A. Yes, you can! Best Online Travel Agencies offer a wide range of international travel options and guide visa requirements.

In conclusion, online travel companies have completely changed how we organize and book our journeys.

These OTAs have evolved into crucial tools for modern travelers thanks to their user-friendly interfaces, vast inventory, and affordable prices.

The top online travel agencies included in this article can assist you in organizing an enjoyable trip, regardless of whether you are an experienced traveler or preparing for your first excursion.

Also, don’t forget to book your personalized holiday package with  Fiery Trippers . Let us make your vacation a romantic as well as a dreamy getaway.

How far in advance should I book my flight? ✈️ 19 Best Website To Book Flights For Cheap Airfare

Unlock Your Adventure: 💡 Mastering the 23+ Best International Travel Tips for Seamless Journeys! 🌍✈️ Exclusive Offer Inside!

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He is a dedicated travel writer with a wealth of 10 Years + experience that enriches his narratives. He holds a degree in Hospitality and Hotel Administration from IHM Dehradun, which he couples with hands-on expertise in the field. Drawing from his diverse experiences, Rahul's writings offer readers a captivating glimpse into the world of travel. Embark on a journey of exploration and inspiration with Rahul as your guide. Read More

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Best online travel sites 2022

Use the best online travel sites to plan your trip ahead of time so you can enjoy your time away.

• Buying advice
• Testing process

The best online travel sites are wonderful not only plan your next trip for peace of mind, they're also a fun way to get excited ahead of your next adventure. You can simply go to one site and plan most of your trip's main parts from flights and hotels to rental cars and excursions. If what you're after is just hotel bookings, check out our list of the best hotel booking sites .

While what many of these sites offer is similar, it's the way in which they do it which is important. The last thing you need is a stress-inducing website when planning to go away to relax and unwind. So we've reviewed the best sites based on their price, of course, but also on the way they work, with the ease of use and clarity as important features. We also checked to make sure you won't suffer any extra charges added on top at the last minute. Plus, we took rewards schemes into account, which could help you save money upfront or in the longer term if you use some sites more than once.

With all that in mind, these are the very best online travel sites out there right now.

The best online travel sites

1. expedia.com: best online travel site overall .

Why you can trust Top Ten Reviews Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test .

Our expert review:

Specifications

Reasons to buy, reasons to avoid.

Expedia is a big name in online travel sites and hotel booking services and owns many popular sites like Hotels.com and Hotwire.com. We're fans of the original, though, thanks to its clean and straightforward to use interface. Hit the packages section of the site, and you can add up to five connecting flights, choose to add accommodation for all of or only part of your trip, and tag on car rentals too. 

It's all suitably well laid out, and it only takes a few seconds to start putting together your itinerary. However, we do wish there were a few more options for filtering out accessibility issues. Still, for most people, Expedia.com has everything they'll need, and there's even the option of a cruise too if you fancy it. It's as aspirational to look at as it is useful to, well, use and there are extra discounts for booking multiple parts of your vacation with the site. A Things To Do section rounds off the site's bid to help you plan your entire trip in one place.

2. Booking.com: Best for ease of use

Booking.com

Booking.com is a giant in the world of holiday bookings and not only offers over half a million properties in more than 207 countries but also offers flights and car rental services too. As such you can do it all from this one spot which makes it a very easy-to-use option. That said, there is a lot going on, and the user interface can be a little overwhelming at times. 

But with a superb rewards program, it is a great option that encourages you to keep coming back, making it easier to use as you become accustomed. You can even sort your taxi hire from this site meaning there is very little to think about when you get traveling as it's all been planned ahead of time. You also don't have to pay a booking fee on lots of hotels, allowing you to remain flexible – ideal if you're traveling about a lot on your journey.

3. CheapTickets.com: Best for finding things to do 

CheapTickets.com

CheapTickets is another site acquired by Expedia, but it does things a little differently. You can easily add on flight, hotel, and car or any combination of the three for package deals, although multiple flights are under a different option. So far, so Expedia (if less intuitive), but you can also clearly purchase event tickets from the site, which is far more useful if you want a one-stop-shop place to buy your trip. It's something other sites provide, but CheapTickets is that bit keener to entice you into the process, even if the site itself is a little cheesier looking than others. 

There's also the site's Vacation Value Finder, which lets you tweak how much you're willing to spend and what you're looking for from a vacation before making some fun suggestions. It's perfect for finding a last-minute deal if you don't have your heart set on one place. Students will also appreciate a section dedicated to them with extra discounts once you verify you're a student. All in all, it's a great varied site for numerous different needs. 

4. Priceline.com: Best for user reviews 

Priceline.com

Priceline is a big deal in the online travel site world for a good reason. It's effortless to use with options available for flights, cars, hotels, or any combination of the three. It's mildly annoying that Priceline's super cheap Pricebreaker deals don't extend to bundles, so you won't get an incredible bargain like you would if you booked separately. However, combining the set is still a worthwhile deal with discounts offered for the more you bundle together. 

One thing we really appreciated is that every hotel we looked at had dozens of reviews, and they're all from verified customers. It takes seconds to gain a reasonably accurate picture of what to expect from wherever you're considering booking. That's the perfect peace of mind when you're booking online, and you can't be sure of what you're getting without user reviews backing hotel statements up. Clearly laid out, you can focus on enjoying rather than worrying. Finally, Priceline is keen to make its VIP scheme easily accessible with straightforward discounts offered to you over time -- something that not all sites so clearly highlight. 

5. Kayak.com: Best for aggregated results 

If you're short on time, Kayak is pretty useful. That's because you simply enter where you want to go, and it aggregates results from multiple different sources. While it means you never book directly with Kayak, it does mean you get results quickly and without having to search around yourself, even if you will feel a bit overwhelmed with adverts while you search. 

The site itself looks a little basic, but under the hood is a surprising number of different filters (although no accessibility ones to speak of) and all the critical information you could require, although obviously you'll be sent to another site for the full details. The site also has a deals section, which has some great bargains for things you can do once you reach your destination, along with cheap car rental deals. It might not be pretty, but if you simply don't want to do the groundwork yourself, Kayak has you covered. It can be a real time-saver, and we reckon it's particularly useful if you're mostly researching possible trips in the future and want rough price estimates. Just watch out for the fact you can’t bundle in car rental deals. 

6. Hotwire.com: Best for renting properties 

Hotwire keeps things straightforward. All you need to do is enter what you're looking for, and a somewhat dated interface tells you what's available. It's not as pretty as some sites, but we really liked the extensive property type filters available. Want to stay on a houseboat or in a chalet at your destination? Hit the relevant filter, and you can find out if that's an option in the locale. That might not matter if your heart is set on a hotel, but it's a nice bonus even amongst the awkward site layout. 

Elsewhere, it's mostly business as usual, but that's no bad thing. Well laid out discounts are available to compare reasonably quickly, and most locations have plenty of reviews. If you feel like tracking down specific deals, you can do that too, with the site keen to offer up discounts to central locations if you're not quite sure where you'd like to visit next. It feels like the site needs updating when you compare it to its rivals, but it works well and speedily enough.

7. Agoda: Best for private home rental in Asia 

Agoda is a great option if you want to look for accommodation that isn't a hotel as this specializes in offering apartments and private rentals. In fact, there are dedicated market managers that work on finding properties, especially in Asia. As such you can find unique destination rentals at decent rates and should you change your mind there is a helpful 24-hour free cancellation policy in place. 

Everything is very easy to use and if you want to make more than one booking you can make great savings. Customer support is also a plus, as there is a 24-hour multilingual customer support service available when booking. With millions of reviews, Agoda makes finding a property very easy with a feeling of trust that can offer great peace of mind.

What to look for in an online travel site

Booking Travel Packages Travel packages can let you combine flights, hotel reservations and car rentals together for a better deal than booking separately. Some companies, like Priceline, pick hotels and flights for you, to get you to your destination for the lowest price. Other companies let you mix and match flights, hotels and car rentals to fit your schedule.

Booking Airfare One of the biggest reasons for searching on a travel site is to find cheap airfare. While there are dozens of airfare-specific websites, travel sites also give you the option to add hotel stays and car rentals. The best travel sites combine flight information from over nine different airlines and let you sort flights by price, number of stops, duration and flight class.

Booking International Travel Finding airfare for international travel is the easiest part of booking an overseas trip. AirGorilla helps you find accommodations and rent GPS units with your rental car, so you can find your way around. Often, sites will recommend hotels that are far from your actual destination or event. Searching for reservations on a site that gives accommodation recommendations will help you schedule an international trip with less stress.

How we tested the best online travel sites

We looked at how easy each site is to use during our testing, such as how quickly the site loaded and how easy it was to find what we were looking for. We considered whether the site felt cluttered with adverts or seemed like a dated interface. We also looked at how easy it was to find Contact Us pages, price guarantee information, and any kind of special deals section. 

We also considered how easily bundle deals could be arranged and how extensive they were and any potential discounts tied to them. We checked filter options to see how flexible and easy it was to look up different needs along the way.

We looked at trips between Los Angeles and Miami, Paris to Lisbon, and New York City to Los Angeles during testing. We also looked at lesser-known routes to see if they were also catered for appropriately.

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Jennifer has been freelancing for over 10 years. In the past, she's written about all things tech and gaming wise for outlets as varied as The Independent, Playboy, Eurogamer, and TechRadar. In her spare time, she spends far too much time watching films, attempting to train her pet guinea pigs, and mastering making the perfect burrito.  She's a full time freelancer, but a regular tech news contributor to Top Ten Reviews.

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The Complete Guide to Booking Travel Online

What is an online travel agency, and what are the best sites and apps to use to search for hotels and flights we break it all down for you..

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There’s a lot to navigate when researching and booking travel online.

Photo by Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

My first travel adventure was to Venezuela. I booked the ticket with a travel agent over a pay phone. The agent searched a dozen flight itineraries over a few days, all so I could save $15.

Times have changed. Today, flight searches start online , often on your mobile device. Passengers book either directly with the airline or hotel or with online travel agencies. Rarely do we get on the phone. In fact, American Airlines and United Airlines charge $25 to make a domestic flight booking by phone. And pay phones hardly exist anymore.

So, what is the best way to book online? Here is our complete guide to online travel agencies, search tools, and the variety of booking options available on both mobile devices and desktops.

What is an OTA?

An online travel agency, or OTA, is a website or mobile app that allows users to search for and book travel services such as flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and activities. The booking is made directly with the online travel agency but confirmed by the service provider, such as an airline or a hotel. As a customer, your relationship is with the OTA.

What are the main OTAs?

Many online travel agencies nowadays are owned by two main companies: Expedia and Priceline. The Expedia Group is the largest online travel agency in the United States with 70 percent market share, according to travel data firm Phocuswright. Expedia Group operates Expedia.com , Orbitz, Hotels.com , Trivago, CheapTickets , Hotwire , Vrbo , and Travelocity .

Priceline is a major competitor to Expedia, with global revenues larger than the Expedia Group. The company owns Priceline.com, Booking.com, Cheapflights, Momondo, and Kayak—the latter two being metasearch engines (more on that below).

There are also independent newcomers such as Hopper (a mobile-only booking tool) and Kiwi.com (which allows you to book flights on air carriers that don’t normally have a commercial relationship).

Are OTA fares lower than booking directly?

Generally, no. The fares that are displayed by an OTA will be similar if not slightly more expensive when compared to an airline’s website. They’re usually only a few dollars higher or lower. The OTAs charge a booking fee to the airlines, and often that fee is passed directly to consumers. For example, Lufthansa tacks on an additional $18 to any booking made through an OTA for Lufthansa flights. The same flights are exactly $18 cheaper on the airline’s website.

Where you can score a good travel deal through an OTA is when booking a last-minute hotel and flight package. Many OTAs have cut agreements with airlines allowing last-minute travelers to access lower rates than are typically available when passengers book a flight alone.

Are all airlines available to be booked through OTAs?

No. Many OTAs do not display flights from some of the low-fare leaders. For example, Southwest and Allegiant flights are not available through OTAs; the same goes for Ryanair in Europe. And, earlier this year United Airlines threatened to pull out of Expedia altogether, only recently signing a multi-year agreement to stay in. The airlines would rather not lose any margin to online travel agencies in an already low-margin industry and would rather maintain a direct relationship with the customer.

Are smaller OTAs safe to use?

Expedia and Priceline are the two largest players in the online booking space, but there are dozens of independent OTAs, such as CheapOAir, OneTravel, JustFly, and SmartFares. Confusingly, you might actually stumble on ads for these OTAs while using Expedia or Priceline sites. That’s because the larger OTAs earn revenue through advertising, sending passengers to smaller OTAs and charging those OTAs for the favor.

Buyer beware: some of these lesser-known OTAs are masters at hidden fees. For example, a flight search on JetBlue allows for free seat selection in many instances. If you perform the same search on FlightNetwork, an independent OTA, and select a seat, you will be charged an additional $25—despite the fact that JetBlue doesn’t charge a seat selection fee if you book directly.

What if you need to change your itinerary?

Itinerary changes are often a pain. If your plans change, it won’t matter whether you’ve booked directly with an airline or with an OTA—you’re going to pay fees for the privilege, if you can even change your ticket at all.

For example, CheapTickets.com, which is part of the Expedia Group, charges $25 to change or cancel a ticket if that change is requested after 24 hours of making the booking—it is free if you do so within 24 hours of booking. However, the fees go up from there. JustFly, an independent OTA, charges a $75 fee for changes to domestic flights in addition to airline change fees, plus the difference in fare, for tickets that can be changed. For an international trip, the fee rises to $200. That means to change an international flight with Delta (which charges a $100 change fee) booked through JustFly, you’ll be assessed $300 in fees, plus the difference in fare. At that rate, you may as well book a new flight. FlightNetwork indicates in its terms of service that changes may incur a change fee but doesn’t specify what those fees are. That hardly makes the few dollars you saved by booking with the OTA in the first place worth it.

What is an OTA price match policy?

To assure travelers that they are getting the lowest fare possible, many OTAs have a price match policy. The rules vary and so do the benefits.

For example, if you book with Orbitz and find a less expensive flight, car rental, or activity on any U.S.-based website within 24 hours of your booking, Orbitz will refund you the difference you paid. And it works: I have personally found a flight in the same class, on the same airline, for the same origin and destination cities, and requested Orbitz to refund the difference of around $35. Within a few weeks, I received a check in the mail. A similar program applies for CheapOAir, but there’s a catch—the price difference must be found on a major OTA such as Expedia or Travelocity.

Expedia has a particularly good price match policy, but you have to pay extra for it at the time of booking. Expedia offers the price match option as an add-on that costs between $5 and $30 when you book. With the price match applied, if the airfare on Expedia drops between 120 days of the flight and up to six hours before the flight, Expedia will automatically refund you the difference in fare. Unfortunately, fares generally do not drop substantially as the travel date approaches, so while this might give you peace of mind, it’s probably not worth the expense.

How do Google Flights and other travel metasearch engines work?

Frequent fliers are likely familiar with websites such as Google Flights, Kayak, Momondo, or Skyscanner. On these websites, passengers search on the site but are redirected to the service provider to complete the booking, such as an airline, rental car company, or hotel.

Metasearch started with a product called ITA Matrix, which is a tool for searching airfares online but not for actually booking online. ITA Matrix allows for multi-city searching, such as setting two different departure or arrival airports, and for offering a calendar view of fares for easier comparison. That company was acquired by Google in 2011, and savvy travelers swear by it to help find the least expensive fares online. Most consumers are more familiar with Google Flights, which has gained traction more recently not least because it has the benefit of being displayed first in search results on Google.

Metasearch engines receive distribution fees from the airlines for sending traffic to the supplier websites. There are no additional hidden fees for using a metasearch engine because you’re booking directly with the airline or hotel.

A major benefit of the metasearch engines is their price tracking tool, which lets users know whether the displayed fares are low, average, or high for the flight, allowing travelers to make a more informed decision on whether to book a flight or not . Google Flights and Kayak, for instance, both have price tracking tools.

Why not just book directly?

The airlines would definitely much rather you book directly with them. Over the past five years, they have gotten much better at marketing and selling their product directly to consumers online and through mobile sites and apps. But in the past, they weren’t so good at it. In fact, Delta, Northwest, United, American, and Continental got together to invest $145 million to launch Orbitz in 1999 to counter the threat from Expedia. Now Orbitz is owned by Expedia.

The airlines also try to encourage customers to book directly so that they can maintain a closer relationship with them. It allows carriers to connect bookings with loyalty programs and create special offers and discounts catered to individual passengers.

There is another benefit to booking directly. The U.S. Department of Transportation requires carriers to hold a reservation at the quoted fare for 24 hours without payment or allow a reservation to be cancelled within 24 hours without penalty, so long as the booking is made at least seven days before travel. The law applies, however, only to U.S. and foreign air carriers that have websites marketed to U.S. consumers. This means that, in theory, an online travel agency does not have to offer such a policy, although most OTAs do.

What are the options for booking on your mobile device?

Airlines and the major OTAs all have apps to help you book and manage your trip on your mobile device, but their functionality is lacking compared to these websites’ desktop editions. For example, Expedia’s app doesn’t allow you to view flights on a month-view calendar. Kayak has an app with more bells and whistles and a better user interface, including a month-view calendar with color-coded pricing. It also has a handy “augmented reality” function to help you see if your carry-on bag will fit in the overhead bin (a feature originally developed by KLM). Point your phone’s camera at the luggage, and it’ll give you the dimensions.

While apps are improving and gaining in popularity, you still might find it easier to locate the best deals on flights and hotels by using your desktop, where you can have multiple tabs open and have all the available search tools at your disposal. Apps are fine for booking directly with an airline once you know which flights you want to book.

If you’re determined to use your mobile device, you may want to look into Hopper. Hopper is a mobile-first flight booking tool that has a solid price prediction tool. You can research travel options and book directly on the app. Another benefit of Hopper: Of its team of 300 employees, nearly half are dedicated to customer support and are based in Canada versus some OTAs and airlines that outsource much of their customer service further afield.

The bottom line?

Like many travelers, I enjoy a flight deal as much as the next person, but I also don’t like any added hassle. I typically start my travel searches using the ITA Matrix or Google Flights to get a general sense of the fares. It helps to know what is a good deal and what is expensive for a particular route. I do my research, typically on a desktop computer. When I’m ready to book, I’ll book directly with the airline. I’ve found that customer service is better when booking directly with the service provider. But I’ve also saved money by using OTAs and have booked with them, too. Whichever way you choose to book, you can be safe in the knowledge that finding and purchasing travel online is a lot easier today than searching for a deal with a travel agent on a pay phone.

>> Next: How to Get the Best Last-Minute Travel Deals

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The Pros and Cons of Booking Through Online Travel Agencies

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money .

You’re likely already familiar with online travel agencies, even if you don’t travel often. These companies — such as Priceline , Expedia and Orbitz — act as intermediaries between you and a travel provider.

Booking your travel through an OTA can be a good idea in some circumstances, but you’ll want to be wary of its pitfalls. Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of online travel agencies, so you’ll know what to use to book your next vacation.

Pros of booking through online travel agencies

There are certainly advantages booking through online travel agencies, though you’ll find different experiences whether you’re using public OTAs — such as Kayak — or private ones like those offered by your card issuer, such as the Chase's travel portal .

✅ It may be cheaper

When searching for flights online, you may see different prices for the same routes that vary across websites. Although it may be a result of fare type — for example, some search results may not clarify that a fare is basic economy rather than main cabin or economy — other times, the difference comes down to competition for your business.

Online travel services will often offer slightly lower prices on flights in an effort to entice you as a customer. This is true for both hotels and airlines.

» Learn more: Best credit cards for online travel-booking websites

✅ It can earn you more rewards

Have you ever heard of shopping portals ? By logging into a shopping portal, you can earn rewards for purchases made with many online merchants. Some hotel chains, such as Hilton , Marriott and IHG , can be accessed through shopping portals while still booking directly on the hotel website. In this way, you can earn rewards with the hotel directly as well as with the shopping portal.

The same isn’t true for shopping portals and most airline sites. However, many public online travel agencies are accessible through shopping portals, which can then earn you rewards for airfare bookings. By opting to book in this way, you’ll be able to earn points or cash-back rewards through the shopping portal that you’d otherwise miss.

Some card issuers will also reward you heavily when using their online travel services. Clear examples of this can be seen with Capital One and Chase. With the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card , for example, you’ll get 10 miles per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel .

The Chase Sapphire Reserve® is similar. With this card, you can get 10 Ultimate Rewards® points per dollar spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Chase's portal.

While these numbers are high, it’s important to remember that there are trade-offs when booking through an OTA rather than directly with a hotel or airline. We’ll get into that a little later.

Online travel agencies offered by your card issuer may not feature the same prices as booking directly; you’ll want to compare these before committing to a purchase.

Some card issuers will go so far as to give your points more value when redeeming through their online travel agencies.

This is true with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card . When redeeming points on Chase's travel portal, you’ll get 1.25 cents in value per point rather than 1 cent elsewhere.

» Learn more: How much are your airline miles and hotel points worth this year?

Cons of booking through online travel agencies

There are several downsides when it comes to using online travel services for booking travel. It mainly comes down to the fact that travel providers prefer that you book directly with them — and offer more perks to woo your business.

❌ It can be harder to change a booking

Ever needed to change a flight after it's booked? No matter the reason, attempting to alter or otherwise cancel a flight can be a hassle — especially if you’ve booked through a third party.

Generally speaking, rather than offering you direct assistance, both hotels and airlines will recommend you contact the online travel agency you’ve booked with in order to make any changes.

While you may be able to make changes or get refunds with the travel agency, airlines and hotels can — and will — offer much more flexibility when you’ve booked with them directly. You may also be subject to additional fees charged by the online travel agency, which can erase any savings you’ve received.

❌ You may not receive elite benefits

This is the real kicker for anyone wanting elite status. Although airlines will almost always recognize your elite status and allow you to earn miles even for bookings made through an online travel agency, hotels and rental car companies will not.

This is especially important for hotel chains. Earning elite status with hotels generally relies on elite night credits. Although these can be earned in a variety of ways — including having complimentary status by holding certain credit cards — the main method of acquiring elite night credits is by spending nights in hotels. Rooms booked through an online travel agency do not count toward elite status as elite night credits.

Additionally, you will not receive any of the benefits of your existing elite status if your booking is through a third party. This can mean the loss of perks such as room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and even free Wi-Fi.

» Learn more: The best airline and hotel rewards loyalty programs this year

❌ It may be more expensive

Did you know that many hotel chains have best price guarantees? Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott and IHG all have a guarantee that’ll give you either points or a discount if you find a better rate elsewhere.

These guarantees are generous; Hilton, for example, will match the rate and then discount it by a further 25%.

Although you’ll need to file claims for these guarantees and they face limitations — such as a 24-hour window from when you made the booking — you can save a lot of money on your stay if your request is approved.

Online travel agencies can be hit or miss

There are two sides to every coin and this is no different, as there are several benefits and limitations of online travel services. Depending on your needs and loyalty program status, you’ll want to choose whether to book directly with a travel provider or rely on OTAs to do the job for you.

Booking travel through credit card portals from issuers like Chase and Capital One can earn you big rewards. But if you anticipate altering your travel plans or aim to earn elite status instead, booking directly is the way to go.

How to maximize your rewards

You want a travel credit card that prioritizes what’s important to you. Here are some of the best travel credit cards of 2024 :

Flexibility, point transfers and a large bonus: Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

No annual fee: Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

Flat-rate travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Bonus travel rewards and high-end perks: Chase Sapphire Reserve®

Luxury perks: The Platinum Card® from American Express

Business travelers: Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card

on Chase's website

1x-5x 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases.

75,000 Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's over $900 when you redeem through Chase Travel℠.

1.5%-5% Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

Up to $300 Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

on Capital One's website

2x-5x Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options.

75,000 Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.

• March 24, 2023

Best Online Travel Agencies to Booking Your Dream Vacation

In today’s digital age, planning and booking a vacation has become easier than ever before. Online travel agencies (OTAs) have revolutionized the way we search for, compare, and book flights, hotels, rental cars, and even entire vacation packages. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore the top 10 online travel agencies, discussing their pros and cons, and what makes them the best choice for different types of travelers. By the end of this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how to choose the best OTA for your needs and how to make the most of your online booking experience.

Top-10: Best Online Travel Agencies

Below is a rating table for the top 10 online travel agencies previously mentioned in the article. The ratings are based on a 5-point scale, with 5 being the highest score.

Expedia is one of the world’s leading online travel agencies, offering a wide range of travel products and services. With its user-friendly interface and extensive selection, Expedia makes it easy for travelers to find and book flights, hotels, vacation rentals, car rentals, and even cruises.

• Extensive range of travel options
• Competitive prices and frequent promotions
• User-friendly website and mobile app
• 24/7 customer support
• Expedia Rewards program
• Cancellation and change fees may apply
• Customer service response times can be slow during peak periods

Expedia is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a one-stop-shop for all their travel needs, from booking flights and accommodations to renting cars and booking activities.

2. Booking.com

Booking.com is a popular online travel agency that specializes in accommodations, offering over 2 million properties worldwide. From hotels and hostels to vacation rentals and even unique stays like treehouses and igloos, Booking.com has something for everyone.

• Extensive selection of accommodations
• User-friendly interface with robust search filters
• Free cancellation on many properties
• Price-match guarantee
• Does not offer flights or other travel services
• Some users may find the sheer number of options overwhelming

Booking.com is an ideal choice for travelers primarily focused on finding the perfect accommodation for their trip, with the added benefit of flexible cancellation policies and a price-match guarantee.

3. Priceline

Priceline is a well-known online travel agency that offers a unique “Name Your Own Price” feature, allowing travelers to bid on flights, hotels, and rental cars. Priceline also offers traditional booking options, as well as Express Deals and Pricebreakers, which provide deep discounts on last-minute bookings.

• Name Your Own Price feature for potential savings
• Express Deals and Pricebreakers for last-minute deals
• Wide range of travel products, including flights, hotels, and rental cars
• Priceline Rewards Visa Card for additional savings
• Name Your Own Price and Express Deals bookings are non-refundable and non-changeable
• Customer service can be difficult to reach at times

Priceline is an excellent choice for budget-conscious travelers who are willing to be flexible with their travel plans in exchange for potential savings through the Name Your Own Price feature or last-minute deals.

Kayak is a popular metasearch engine that compares prices from hundreds of travel websites, including other online travel agencies and directly from airlines and hotels. Kayak’s powerful search tools and filters make it easy to find the best deals on flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.

• Compares prices from multiple sources for the best deals
• User-friendly interface with powerful search filters
• Price alerts and flexible date search for additional savings
• Integrates with other travel services like Google Flights and Airbnb
• Mobile app with additional features, such as trip planning and flight tracking
• Does not handle bookings directly, which can make customer service inquiries more complicated
• Some users may find the interface and search options overwhelming

Kayak is an ideal choice for travelers who prioritize finding the best possible deals and enjoy the convenience of comparing prices from multiple sources in one place.

Agoda is an online travel agency specializing in accommodations, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. With an extensive selection of properties, including hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals, Agoda offers competitive prices and a user-friendly experience.

• Strong focus on the Asia-Pacific region, with a wide range of accommodations
• Agoda PointsMAX rewards program
• Limited offerings for flights and other travel services
• Cancellation policies can vary by property

Agoda is an excellent choice for travelers planning a trip to the Asia-Pacific region, offering a wide range of accommodations at competitive prices and a user-friendly experience.

6. TripAdvisor

TripAdvisor is best known for its extensive collection of user-generated reviews and ratings for hotels, restaurants, and attractions worldwide. In addition to its review platform, TripAdvisor also offers a metasearch engine that compares prices from various online travel agencies and directly from travel providers.

• Extensive user-generated reviews and ratings
• Offers bookings for flights, hotels, vacation rentals, and activities
• TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice awards for top-rated properties and attractions
• Mobile app with additional features, such as offline maps and travel guides
• Some users may question the reliability of certain reviews

TripAdvisor is an ideal choice for travelers who value user-generated reviews and ratings when making their travel decisions and appreciate the convenience of comparing prices from multiple sources in one place.

Orbitz is a well-established online travel agency that offers bookings for flights, hotels, rental cars, cruises, and vacation packages. With competitive prices, a user-friendly interface, and a robust rewards program, Orbitz is a popular choice for many travelers.

• Wide range of travel products and services
• Orbitz Rewards program
• Some users may experience slow customer service response times during peak periods

Orbitz is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a one-stop-shop for all their travel needs, with the added benefit of a robust rewards program that offers additional savings and perks.

8. Travelocity

Travelocity is a popular online travel agency that offers a wide range of travel products and services, including flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. With its user-friendly interface, competitive prices, and Price Match Guarantee, Travelocity is a reliable choice for travelers.

• Competitive prices and Price Match Guarantee
• Travelocity Wander Wisely Promise for additional customer support

Travelocity is an excellent choice for travelers looking for a one-stop-shop for all their travel needs, with the added benefit of a Price Match Guarantee and additional customer support through the Wander Wisely Promise.

9. Skyscanner

Skyscanner is a popular metasearch engine that compares prices from hundreds of travel websites, including online travel agencies, airlines, and hotels. With its powerful search tools and flexible date search, Skyscanner makes it easy for travelers to find the best deals on flights, hotels, and car rentals.

• Flexible date search for additional savings
• Mobile app with additional features, such as price alerts and trip planning
• Offers bookings for flights, hotels, and car rentals

Skyscanner is an ideal choice for travelers who prioritize finding the best possible deals and enjoy the convenience of comparing prices from multiple sources in one place.

10. HotelsCombined

HotelsCombined is a hotel metasearch engine that compares prices from various online travel agencies and directly from hotels. With its user-friendly interface and powerful search filters, HotelsCombined makes it easy for travelers to find the best deals on accommodations.

• Compares prices from multiple sources for the best deals on accommodations
• Offers bookings for hotels, hostels, and vacation rentals
• Mobile app with additional features, such as offline maps and local tips
• Does not offer bookings for flights or other travel services

HotelsCombined is an excellent choice for travelers primarily focused on finding the best deals on accommodations and enjoy the convenience of comparing prices from multiple sources in one place.

Other Notable Online Travel Agencies

In addition to the top 10 online travel agencies mentioned above, there are several other OTAs worth considering when planning your next vacation. Here’s a list of some notable alternatives:

• Hotwire : Offers discounted “Hot Rate” deals on hotels, flights, and car rentals, with the trade-off of not revealing specific details, such as the hotel’s name, until after booking.
• Airfarewatchdog : Focuses on finding the best deals on flights by monitoring airline websites, online travel agencies, and fare alerts.
• CheapOair : Specializes in offering discounted airfare, hotels, and car rentals, with a focus on budget-conscious travelers.
• Hopper : A mobile app that predicts future flight and hotel prices, offering personalized recommendations on when to book for the best deal.
• OneTravel : Provides booking options for flights, hotels, and car rentals, with a focus on discounted fares and last-minute deals.
• Google Flights : A search engine that compares flight prices from various airlines and online travel agencies, offering powerful search filters and price tracking features.
• Trivago : A metasearch engine that compares hotel prices from various online travel agencies and directly from hotels, with a user-friendly interface and extensive search filters.
• Momondo : Compares prices for flights, hotels, and car rentals from various online travel agencies, airlines, and providers, with a focus on finding the best deals.
• Viator : Specializes in booking tours, activities, and attractions worldwide, with a wide range of options and user-generated reviews.
• GetYourGuide : Offers bookings for tours, activities, and attractions, with a focus on unique and local experiences.

When choosing an online travel agency, it’s essential to compare prices, read user reviews, and research each OTA’s reputation and customer service. With this expanded list of notable online travel agencies, you’ll have even more options to find the perfect OTA for your travel needs.

Criteria for Choosing the Best Online Travel Agency

When choosing the best online travel agency for your needs, consider the following factors:

• Pricing : Compare prices across multiple OTAs to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
• User experience : Look for an easy-to-use interface with powerful search filters and sorting options.
• Customer support : Choose an OTA that offers 24/7 customer support and responsive service.
• Rewards programs : Consider signing up for an OTA’s rewards program to earn points and enjoy additional savings and perks.
• Additional services : Some OTAs offer extra services, such as travel insurance, airport transfers, or local activities, which can enhance your overall travel experience.

Tips for Using Online Travel Agencies

To make the most of your online travel agency experience, follow these tips:

• Always compare prices : Check multiple OTAs and the providers’ websites to ensure you’re getting the best deal.
• Sign up for price alerts : Many OTAs offer price alerts that notify you when prices drop for your desired travel dates and destinations.
• Book early for the best deals : Booking your trip well in advance can often result in better pricing and availability.
• Be flexible with your travel dates : If possible, search for flights and accommodations with flexible dates to find the best deals.
• Read user reviews : Take advantage of user-generated reviews and ratings to gain insight into the quality of accommodations, attractions, and travel providers.
• Join rewards programs : Sign up for an OTA’s rewards program to earn points, access exclusive deals, and enjoy additional perks.
• Take advantage of last-minute deals : Some OTAs offer last-minute deals on flights, hotels, and vacation packages, which can result in significant savings.
• Read the fine print : Always review the cancellation and change policies before booking, as these can vary between OTAs and travel providers.

Online travel agencies have transformed the way we plan and book our vacations, offering convenience, competitive pricing, and extensive options. By understanding the pros and cons of the top 10 online travel agencies, you can make an informed decision about which OTA best suits your needs and preferences. With this guide as your starting point, you’ll be well on your way to booking your dream vacation and enjoying the benefits of using an online travel agency.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: what is an online travel agency (ota).

A: An online travel agency (OTA) is a website or app that allows users to search for, compare, and book travel products and services, such as flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages.

Q: How do online travel agencies make money?

A: Online travel agencies make money through commissions from travel providers, such as airlines, hotels, and car rental companies. Some OTAs also charge booking fees or earn revenue through advertising.

Q: Are online travel agencies reliable?

A: Most online travel agencies are reliable and offer a convenient way to plan and book your vacation. However, it’s essential to read user reviews and research each OTA’s reputation and customer service before booking.

Q: Can I trust the prices displayed on online travel agencies?

A: Prices displayed on OTAs are generally accurate, but it’s always a good idea to compare prices across multiple sources and read the fine print for any additional fees or charges.

Q: How can I ensure I’m getting the best deal when booking through an online travel agency?

A: To get the best deal, compare prices across multiple OTAs and travel providers, sign up for price alerts, book early, and consider being flexible with your travel dates.

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THE JOURNAL

Travel Inspiration

Online Travel Agencies: Do They Offer the Best Value? (Hint: No)

The Modern Travel Agency

https://www.foratravel.com/the-journal/online-travel-agencies

Do online travel agencies offer the best deal? And what’s the difference between an online travel agency (a.k.a. OTA) and a host agency for independent travel agents ? We have all the intel you need to make the right decision.

Already know the difference between OTAs and real, human travel advisors? Connect with Fora to book and plan your trip with expert advice, VIP travel perks and more (i.e., all the things you don’t get when you book with an OTA).

First, what is an online travel agency (a.k.a. OTA)?

Online travel agencies are “travel agencies” in name only. More accurately, they’re automated marketplaces that allow travelers to book accommodations, flights and car rentals from a single user interface. 

Expedia, Booking.com and Travelocity are among the most well-known examples, but there are dozens of choices that offer similar experiences.

Which online travel agency is the most popular? What’s the biggest OTA?

Booking Holdings, which owns Booking.com, Priceline.com and a few other recognizable names, is the largest online travel agency. But Expedia Group Inc., which owns Expedia, Travelocity, Vrbo and, again, other recognizable OTAs, isn’t far behind. 

It might be surprising to learn that these two companies own virtually all the most popular OTAs in the United States. But the more important point is that because of a lack of real competition, these OTAs have a lot of leeway in the prices they charge. 

Worse, most hotels and suppliers don’t have much of a choice but to allow OTAs to charge high prices on their behalf because such a high percentage of their bookings go through online platforms. Which is where online host agencies come into play. But we’ll come back to that later.

Are there different types of OTAs?

Technically, there are three different types of online travel agencies. However, within the industry, there’s a conscious effort to create separation between them. 

The three models are as follows: merchant agencies like Expedia, advertising platforms like Google and, in the strictest, most literal definition of an online travel agency, most modern host agencies.

Merchant-model OTAs 

Merchant-model online travel agencies are exactly what we’ve been talking about thus far. This is the most common type of OTA, and further down, we explain why they’re not your best choice for planning and booking trips.

Of the three choices, hotels generally prefer to get as few bookings from merchant OTAs as possible because hotels don't see as much of the booking value acquired through such sites, and are often delivered less reliable clients. This type of OTA has played a major role in soaring hotel prices since the early 2000s, especially domestically, because hotels have largely been forced to raise rates to protect their profits.

Advertising-model OTAs

Advertising-model OTAs aren’t agencies so much as they are ad platforms. The most prominent example? Google. Hotels basically pay to advertise their rooms on search engines and similar websites using a cost-per-click model. 

For hotels, advertising-model OTAs can offer a slightly better deal than merchant OTAs. But they’re still not most hotels’ favorite choice. Moreover, these OTAs can be frustrating for consumers, as they often display inaccurate prices for hotels and other suppliers.

Contemporary host agencies

Contemporary host agencies are considered online travel agencies only in the sense that their services are available via the internet.

Host agencies such as Fora provide a variety of tools, exposure and other benefits for independent travel advisors, who remain in charge of their own business. The best agencies also provide extensive travel agent training , community resources and more.

In the host-agency model, clients work directly with independent travel advisors — real people — who can not only make reservations anywhere, but also plan itineraries, which is something merchant online travel agencies can’t do. Additionally, travel advisors can answer nuanced questions, set up special accommodations and do much more that an automated system can’t even begin to address.

What do we mean when we refer to online travel agencies?

We’re talking about the merchant model (i.e., Priceline.com, Airbnb, etc.). Advertising models aren’t as popular, and host agencies are, again, only semantically considered online travel agencies. 

How do online travel agencies work?

We’ve covered the basics, but here’s how online travel agencies work — and why you may not be getting the best deal if you book through one.

How exactly do OTAs make money?

There are two common ways OTAs make money: first, they operate similarly to a traditional travel agency by earning commission from hotels and other suppliers — car rental agencies, tour operators and so on. Additionally, some OTAs will purchase blocks of hotel-room bookings at a discount, only to turn around and sell them for a profit.

(How do travel agent commissions work? See our guide.)

The top online travel agencies charge hotels & other suppliers exorbitant commission rates

Unlike traditional travel agencies, which typically earn between five and 10 percent commission from a partner, the OTAs typically demand much higher rates, usually around 30%. Many hotels have grown to rely on these bookings, so they have no choice but to raise their rates and comply. 

Unfortunately, this has had a ripple effect throughout the industry. However — and this is a big however — contemporary remote travel agents who work with a host agency (like us) are able to one-up online travel agencies by offering awesome upgrades, perks and other benefits to dramatically increase the overall value (we’ll come back to this later) at no extra cost.

Want to know what types of perks Fora Advisors can unlock for you? Book and plan your next trip with Fora .

Why do travelers use online travel agencies?

The simple answer: most travelers aren’t aware of the alternatives. 

Traditional travel agencies were decimated by OTAs in the 1990s and early 2000s. Plus, a lot of travelers today either assume that travel agents are a thing of the past (they’re not) or only plan and book bespoke vacations for elite clients (anyone can use a travel advisor).

Are there any benefits of using an online travel agency?

There’s no arguing that OTAs aren’t fast. And occasionally, you may find that online travel agencies offer a good, though rarely the best, deal. 

But when you take a look at all the drawbacks below, you may question whether it still makes sense to book through an OTA.

Client-focused drawbacks of using online travel agencies

Curious to know why online travel agencies aren’t your best choice for booking? Read on. 

Already convinced? Connect with Fora to plan and book your next trip.

1. You’ll rarely receive the best value (and sometimes you’ll pay more for less)

Online travel agencies may play a role in dictating hotel rates, but they can’t offer the enticing perks you get when you book through a travel advisor instead. In other words, you may be charged the same rate regardless of how you obtain a reservation, but you’ll get a lot more for your money if you book through a travel advisor.

What kind of perks are offered? It depends on the hotel and host agency, but property credits (usually between $50 and $100 in value), complimentary meals, extended check-in/out times and special amenities are just a few of the awesome extras Fora Advisors can unlock. 

Fora Advisors may occasionally be able to score better rates, too, particularly at independent hotels.

2. You won’t get a personalized experience

Ultimately, online travel agencies only care about putting heads in beds. That’s their bottom line, and it’s a deeply impersonal process. A personalized stay is off the table.

In contrast, you’ll exclusively work with an actual human if you book through a travel advisor. Better yet, travel advisors can work with a hotel to VIP your stay (even if perks aren’t offered). This is especially beneficial if you require some sort of special accommodation. OTAs can’t do this — and even if by some miracle you manage to put in a request, OTAs don't make sure the hotel follows through. 

3. You can’t always redeem rewards perks

This varies by the online travel agency, but oftentimes, you can’t book special rates or redeem rewards when you book with an OTA. Some won’t even allow you to earn points toward loyalty programs. 

4. It can be harder to change a booking

Seriously: good luck. 

If you need to change a booking, you generally have to jump through all sorts of hoops and hope that the supplier actually hears about the changes — or you have to outright cancel the booking and hope that you can rebook. At best, it’s a hassle. At worst, it can be a nightmare that causes you to lose money that otherwise could have been spent during your trip.

Want to avoid the pitfalls of booking through an OTA? Get personalized service, VIP travel perks and more when you plan and book your trip with Fora .

5. And worse, your booking can be changed or canceled with little heads up

Imagine living out your Spain bucket list only to find out one of your bookings was canceled, and no real effort was made to warn you. Online travel agencies are automated systems — they can’t, and don’t, always react in a timely manner if a hotel is forced to alter or cancel a booking. 

Worse, OTAs have been known to overbook hotels or rental cars, leaving some travelers stranded or unsheltered at the last minute. This isn’t a common occurrence, but why even take the chance?

In either scenario, a travel advisor would be able to help you immediately.

6. Hotels know they’re getting lower-quality clients, so they’re less likely to roll out the red carpet

First, let us be clear: when we say “lower-quality clients,” we only mean clients who aren’t likely to rebook the same hotel in the future.

Going back to “putting heads in beds,” hotels have no idea whom they’re catering to when a booking is made through an OTA. At reputable hotels, this matters. Great hotels want to take care of their guests because there’s a promise of repeat business, and it’s the right thing to do.

When a travel advisor makes a booking, they can let the hotel know who their client is and the hotel can take steps to make sure their guest — you — is well cared for. At a minimum, the hotel knows that if they do a good job, the advisor is likely to send back more clients.

For the client, this means they’re far more likely to enjoy an awesome experience when they book with a travel advisor because the hotel is incentivized to roll out the red carpet. When they book with an online travel agency, though, the hotel wants to recoup the OTA commission cost, so they typically offer nothing extra.

Recap: if not OTAs, what are the best travel agencies to go through?

Host agencies such as Fora offer a much better deal than online travel agencies.

Fora advisors offer actual guidance & real service

Fora travel advisors are subject-matter experts. They can break down any aspect of your trip to make sure you’re getting the trip you desire. There’s no guesswork involved, which can’t be said when you book through an online travel agency. 

Let’s say you’re booking with a Virgin Voyages travel agent from Fora. They’ll be able to tell you the differences between all the cabins, itineraries and so on. Better yet, they can help you decide which options best suit your preferences and budget, offering a truly tailored experience.

You’ll get the best value when you book with a Fora Advisor

We’ve touched on this before, but it’s worth repeating. 

Fora Advisors secure the best available rates for clients, and there are extras to take advantage of when you book with them. Our travel advisors can score all sorts of perks for clients who stay at partner properties (nearly 5,000 hotels globally and counting). 

For example, say you book a room at Hotel Californian, one of our favorite hotels in Santa Barbara , through an online travel agency for $500 per night (it’s a nice hotel). You’ll still pay that same rate with a Fora Advisor, but when you book with us, you’ll also get complimentary daily breakfast, a $100 hotel credit that can be put toward the onsite spa and, whenever possible, extended check-in/out times — and potentially more. You’ll also get VIP treatment, personalized service and an all-around better stay.

Find out for yourself when you plan and book with Fora .

A nd even if you don’t stay at a partner hotel, you will still get better service (plus potential upgrades at many hotels around the world) when you book with a Fora Advisor. 

Fora travel advisors offer peace of mind and can help if things go awry

One of the absolute best advantages of booking with a Fora Advisor over an online travel agency: we can help if something goes wrong with your booking. 

Whether you receive the wrong room, have a reservation canceled or suddenly require some sort of special accommodation, Fora Advisors can work with the hotel to make things right at a moment’s notice. (Our personal relationships with thousands of hotels around the world help make this possible.)

OTAs often don’t even try — or they put you through a bureaucratic process, days or even weeks later, after your trip. 

Does it make sense to book corporate travel through OTAs?

It’s not unreasonable to wonder if online travel agencies offer a better deal for corporate clients. But for all the reasons mentioned above, corporate travel agents still offer better value than OTAs. This is doubly true for more nuanced bookings — like corporate group travel — where it’s wise to have an actual person there to make sure that reservations and itineraries are honored by suppliers.

Want the best value for your trip? Book with Fora instead

Overall, online travel agencies simply can’t compete with the value that a Fora Advisor offers. From A+ travel perks to unwavering assistance if something goes wrong, it makes so much more sense to plan and book your trips with Fora .

P.S. Love the idea of travel planning as a career? Become a Fora Advisor

Considering a job in the travel industry ? Check out all the reasons to become a Fora Advisor , from uber-flexible schedules to extensive marketing and training resources — not to mention unlimited earnings potential.

Interested? Sign up to become a Fora Advisor . Or check out our posts below to learn how to become a travel advisor .

How Much Do Travel Agents Make? Fora’s Full Guide  

Everything You Need to Know about a Fora Travel Advisor Salary (and How Our Advisors Get Paid)  

What Does It Take to Become a Travel Agent?  

The Ultimate Travel Side Hustle: Selling Vacations  

How to Become a Disney Travel Agent  

Why Group Bookings Are Great: Tips from an Expert  

Debunking 3 Myths about Becoming a Travel Advisor

Book with Fora

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The Top Online Travel Agencies for Selling Tours and Activities

Table of Content

Why should you partner with otas, the ota industry landscape, the top otas for selling tours and activities, how to manage multiple channels in one place.

Online Travel Agencies (OTAs) connect consumers with travel services such as hotels, flights, car rentals, tours and activities. Their power lies in aggregating offers from hundreds or thousands of suppliers, giving users the ability to compare many options on the same platform.

OTAs have become influential in markets such as hotel bookings, flights and more recently – the car rental and “things to do” markets. With consumers flocking to OTAs to manage their trips, suppliers can use these platforms to distribute their offers in addition to their own marketing efforts.

But choosing the right partners for your leisure business can be a difficult task. Different OTAs can provide you with a various set of advantages. You need to understand each platform’s strengths in order to derive the most value.

Should you go with the big names like Ctrip and Expedia or choose specialist sites for tours and activities like Viator? Or maybe use a combination of OTAs to sell your products?

In this post, we’ll highlight some of the top online travel agencies, which ones you should partner with and how to do it right.

Ready? Let’s go.

This is a long post. Get a PDF version by clicking on the image below so you can save it for review later.

As people increasingly book tours, activities, and attractions online, it’s important to establish a strong internet presence. The same goes for mobile which is starting to account for a significant portion of total bookings, even though the industry is still primarily offline.

But establishing your brand online and on mobile takes significant investments of both time and money. This is where online travel agencies can help.

With bigger players attracting millions of people each month, the main advantage OTAs provide to activity suppliers is access to more potential customers. Right here, right now – on both web and mobile.

In addition, OTAs bring in a number of other benefits, including handling payments and customer service on your behalf. In essence, you can outsource much of your online marketing and sales efforts to OTAs.

With huge advertising budgets and great search engine authority, bigger OTAs are well positioned in the online world and provide access to consumers that are otherwise hard to reach.

But more than that, as we can see from the hotel industry, using OTAs is becoming a necessity for many providers. Often these are big companies that can create a great user experience for both consumers and suppliers. This is why travelers use them to manage their trips while suppliers manage sales and bookings.

Of course, using OTAs isn’t free. You will often pay commission fees that usually range between 20% and 30% depending on multiple factors such as the platform you partner with, your offer, and sales volumes.

This means that you should always prioritize sales and bookings going through direct channels – such as your website, phone or on-site – in order to avoid extra costs.

OTAs are extremely useful for last-minute bookings and filling up capacity that would otherwise be wasted. If adding more customers to your tour or activity does not increase costs, filling up available slots using OTAs is a great idea.

In addition, if you’re just starting out , your online strategy and positioning will take time to develop. In the meantime, OTAs can secure valuable bookings for you while you develop things like your search engine authority, social media presence, and advertising budget.

Did you know Regiondo can help you to manage multiple sales channels in one place so you don’t have to track your bookings manually? Start your free Regiondo trial today .

Before we look at the top online travel agencies individually, let’s examine the industry landscape. This way you’ll get a glimpse of each platform’s focus and compare them side-by-side. We’ll look at some of the main criteria you should consider when choosing an OTA to partner with such as web traffic, geographical focus, and commission fees.

Web traffic

The number of monthly visits is one of the prime metrics OTAs track to measure their performance. While simple visits don’t guarantee sales, there’s a positive correlation between the amount of traffic and the number of bookings received.

While it shouldn’t be the only thing you look at when choosing a platform to partner with, web traffic is a good indicator of the exposure you’ll get. Generally, the higher the traffic, the more people you will reach.

However, we need to note that some OTAs provide a number of additional services like flights and hotel bookings which may account for most of the traffic. In order to avoid making wrong assumptions, we can compare traffic between OTAs that have a similar profile.

For example, we can look at big OTAs that provide a range of travel services separately from specialist OTAs that focus solely on tours and activities. Moreover, niche players that don’t get as much traffic but provide other benefits should also be looked at separately in order to best understand their strengths and weaknesses.

It should be noted that the numbers below are estimates based on data from SimilarWeb.

Expedia and Ctrip are two of the most prominent OTAs that have been around for a long time and aggregate the full spectrum of travel services from hotel bookings to car rentals.

If we look at the website visits between May 2018 and July 2018, we can see that both platforms attract a similar amount of traffic. Expedia sees a steady month-on-month increase as the summer months arrive while Ctrip saw a slight decrease in June before getting ahead in July.

It’s hard to estimate what part of website visitors actually book a tour or activity but we can make an educated guess. Expedia reported that 2017 revenue from their Local Expert brand (“Things to do” section) was just over $500 million. With a total revenue in 2017 of around $10 billion , this represents roughly 5% of total sales.

Assuming a similar distribution in terms of traffic, this could amount to roughly 10 – 12 million visits related to tours and activities for these big OTAs (across the full 3 months). Therefore, monthly numbers are likely in the range of 3 million to 4 million visits.

When it comes to website traffic, Viator clearly leads the way with nearly 30 million visits in the last 3 months – just around 10 million per month. Not surprisingly, it’s parent company TripAdvisor is the top referring site and accounts for roughly 16% of Viator’s referrals (SimilarWeb data).

GetYourGuide and Klook received about the same number of visits as Viator – but combined together. Founded in 2009 and 2014 respectively, these relatively new OTAs have quickly become key players in the industry.

Apart from well-established OTAs with millions of monthly views, there are also niche platforms that specialize in a particular geography or vertical like VELTRA and Musement.

VELTRA generates nearly 80% of its traffic in Japan and specializes in providing tours and activities to the local market.

On the other hand, Musement is focused on Europe but includes experiences in a wide range of verticals – from free activities to events, concerts and even tennis games.

Despite being relatively small, these OTAs differentiate themselves with other qualities and boast some impressive partnerships, meaning they can still generate lots of awareness for your brand.

Partners and affiliates

Apart from their main websites, OTAs often partner with hundreds or even thousands of agents and resellers. These can range from small local travel sites to large airlines, banks, and retailers. Affiliate partners distribute OTA products to their website visitors in exchange for a set commission fee for each referral.

This is why you will often see tour and activity offers when checking out of certain airlines. Basically, most platforms allow their partners to embed a code on their website which pulls relevant offers from the OTA’s inventory and shows them to travelers and other consumers.

In addition, big OTAs like Expedia own multiple brands and websites and share their inventory. If you use Orbitz , for example, you will see the same offers and booking engine as the ones on Expedia Local Expert.

Partnerships and affiliates allow OTAs to bring your offers to an even larger network of travelers and consumers. If you’re a new supplier, this can be of huge significance while you grow your online presence and brand awareness.

Geographical focus

When choosing an OTA to partner with, it’s important to know where their target audience is. This way you’ll know if they’re a good fit for your tour or activity.

For example, there’s not much point in marketing an escape room to travelers from China unless you’ve translated your instructions in Mandarin or at least English. If your services require advanced skills in a language, you should take an OTA’s geographical focus into account.

That said, we’ve looked at key markets for different OTAs and found the following:

Figures relate .com domains only.

Not surprisingly, one of the biggest markets for OTAs is North America. So if you’re partnering with a platform like Expedia or Viator, there’s a good chance your offers are reaching mostly US travelers.

On the other hand, GetYourGuide also receives most of its website visitors from North America, but the number is lower at just 25% which is balanced compared to Expedia’s 81%, for example. Taking their .de domain into account, Germany is likely the biggest market while Spain and the UK are also important for GetYourGuide.

Klook, VELTRA, and Ctrip largely depend on East Asian markets like Japan and China while Musement is the only OTA from our sample that receives most of its website visitors from Europe.

Destinations covered

In order to attract more customers, OTAs develop tour and activity portfolios from hundreds or thousands of destinations. The more breadth they provide, the bigger is the pool of travelers they can address. Each new country or city adds a number of new potential customers that can book tours and activities. In addition, a higher number of destinations increases the reach when it comes to local residents.

For these reasons, even niche OTAs like Musement develop a strong arsenal of destinations. Below you can see a graph with the number of destinations covered by some of the more popular platforms.

For this sample of OTAs, GetYourGuide leads the way in terms of coverage with more than 2,500 destinations. Viator isn’t far behind with 2000 while Musement and Expedia Local Expert cover about 1000 each.

For tour and activity suppliers, the number of destinations where an OTA has a presence is a good indicator of the marketplace landscape. If a large amount of tours and activities from your city are on the website, this means there is good demand for local experiences on that platform.

Inventory distribution

Skift conducted research on some of the bigger OTAs and found that most of their inventory is usually in Europe (which is still the biggest tourist destination by traveler count).

The chart above can give you a good indication of which platform is best for your location. If you’re based in Europe, most OTAs will give you sufficient exposure. However, providers like Klook hold a relatively small part of their inventory in Europe and most of their customers look for experiences in Asia. That doesn’t mean you should completely ignore Klook – commissions are based on sales only so you don’t lose anything by having a presence on this platform.

Number of activities

Having a large inventory of activities is important for similar reasons as destinations. The more activities on offer, the more potential customers fall within the OTA’s reach.

While the number of activities seems likely to correlate with the number of destinations covered, Viator is a clear leader in this domain with 60,000+ activities – despite covering fewer destinations than GetYourGuide. This means Viator is well-placed in certain popular geographies and stocks a disproportionate amount of tours and activities compared to its main rivals.

Klook and Ctrip come in 2nd place with around 40,000 activities each. Despite its size, Expedia LX trails behind with 25,000 activities – the same as niche player Musement.

In general, we can see the number of activities is high across all platforms as it’s a key factor for attracting customers.

Commission rates

In order to handle online marketing, payments, and other services on your behalf, OTAs normally charge a commission for each booking you receive through their website.

The commission often depends on the type of service you provide with discounts for large sales volumes. Below you can see indicative commission rates for some of the top OTAs.

Specialized OTAs like Viator and GetYourGuide tend to charge around 25% while big platforms like Expedia can go as high as 40% given their extra services and exposure.

It seems smaller platforms like Musement can give you better prices which is logical in light of their online reach. The same goes for providers based in Asia where market dynamics allow for cheaper prices overall.

Now that we have a high-level view of the OTA industry landscape, it’s time to explore each platform on an individual basis. Below you will find our pick of the top online travel agencies for selling tours and activities ranked by estimated monthly traffic.

Expedia Local Expert

Expedia Local Expert is the “Things to do” section on the main Expedia site. Started in 2014, it’s a relatively new service for the travel giant but it’s gaining traction quickly.

• Monthly visits: 66 million+
• Key market: United States
• Number of destinations: 1000+
• Supported languages: 24+
• Supported currencies: 41
• Number of activities: 25,000+
• Inventory focus: Europe
• Commission rates: 20% – 40%

Main advantages 1. It’s relatively uncrowded Despite the size of Expedia, its Local Expert brand is a relatively new product and therefore the marketplace is not so crowded. This makes it a good time to join and build up your ratings and reviews before competitors do.

2. Strong brand Expedia is one of the most admired brands both internationally and in the US. This makes it an ideal partner that can bring your offers to a loyal customer base.

3. Email marketing With over 23 million email subscribers, Expedia is able to implement targeted email campaigns that get you in front of the right people at the right time and place.

This is how your offer could look like on Expedia Local Expert.

In one sentence Use Expedia LX if you want to reach US travelers via email, web, and mobile.

Learn more about Expedia Local Expert and how to sign up in our dedicated post on the topic .

Viator is one of the pioneering OTAs that has been around since 1995. In 2014, the site was purchased by TripAdvisor in a deal worth $200 million and has become the main tour and activity partner for the reviews giant.

• Monthly visits: 9 million+
• Number of destinations: 2,000+
• Supported languages: 11
• Supported currencies: 8
• Number of activities: 60,000+
• Commission rates: 20% – 30%

Main advantages 1. TripAdvisor integration As TripAdvisor’s main tour and activity supplier, Viator is the surest way to get exposure on the reviews giant’s website.

2. Search engine ranking Viator is a good partner if you want to stand any chance of ranking for competitive keywords like “things to do in [your city]”. The user-generated content from TripAdvisor and Viator reviews coupled with their long history online boost both brands in search results.

3. Advertising dollars Viator’s ad campaigns on Google, Bing, and Facebook can supplement your online traffic and bookings. Where search isn’t enough, they’ve got you covered on that front as well.

This is how your offer could look like on Viator.

In one sentence Use Viator to get exposure on the TripAdvisor platform and reach a wide range of travelers online.

Learn more about Viator and how to become a supplier in our dedicated post on the topic.

GetYourGuide

Founded in 2009, GetYourGuide is one of the fastest-growing OTAs specialized in tours and activities. As Viator’s main competitor, the company attracts millions of users across a wide range of geographies.

• Monthly visits: 6 million+
• Key market: Germany
• Number of destinations: 2,500+
• Supported languages: 22
• Supported currencies: 16
• Number of activities: 33,000+

Main advantages 1. Provide a great experience to your customers One of GetYourGuide’s key advantages is the great user experience available to customers. As a GetYourGuide supplier, travelers and locals can book your offers in a seamless way helping you fill capacity and reduce no-shows.

2. A world-class mobile presence Apart from a robust web experience, GetYourGuide boasts beautiful and highly functional smartphone apps. This is a great way to reach people on mobile, especially if you don’t have the capacity to invest in that domain.

3. Free offer optimization service As a commission-only platform, GetYourGuide makes money only when you get bookings. This is why they work extra hard to make your offers stand out with their free optimization service.

Sample offer

This is how your offer could look like on GetYourGuide.

In one sentence Use GetYourGuide to delight your customers with an outstanding user experience on web and mobile.

Learn more about GetYourGuide and how to become a supplier in our dedicated post on the topic .

Klook is a specialized tour and activity OTA that’s focused on the East Asian market. The company is growing quickly since its foundation in 2014 and boasts high profile investors like Goldman Sachs and Sequoia Capital, among others.

• Monthly visits: 5 million+
• Key market: Taiwan
• Number of activities: 40,000+
• Inventory focus: East Asia
• Commission rates: 15% – 25%

Main advantages 1. Local team that understands the Asian market Similar to Ctrip in China, Klook’s team can help you market in other Asian countries, giving you access to travelers from Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.

2. Great mobile app for partners In addition to its consumer apps, Klook offers a robust app for partners where you can stay productive and track bookings on-the-go.

3. Strong reputation Klook has a knack for attracting both big-name suppliers and investors. With Disneyland and Universal Studios using the platform, you’ll be in good company.

This is how your offer could look like on Klook.

In one sentence Use Klook to reach travelers from East Asia at an affordable cost.

Learn more about Klook and how to become a partner in our dedicated post on the topic .

VELTRA is a tour and activity OTA based in Tokyo. Although smaller than the likes of Viator and GetYourGuide, the company is well positioned in the local market with it’s long-standing history since 1991.

• Monthly visits: 2 million+
• Key market: Japan
• Supported languages: 5
• Supported currencies: 3
• Number of activities: 13,000+
• Inventory focus: Asia
• Commission rates: 15% – 30%

Main advantages 1. Great affiliate network VELTRA has established partnerships with some of Japan’s largest companies, including Rakuten and Japan Airlines. Partnering with this OTA can get you in front of Japanse travelers like no other.

2. A stable company Corporate Japan is known for its loyal workforce and stability. VELTRA has been serving the travel market since 1991 so you know you’re in good hands when listing tours and activities with this platform.

3. Translate your offers in East Asian languages Your VELTRA offers can be translated for free in Japanse, Korean and Taiwanese, among other. This allows you to reach local customers in their own language and re-use the translations across other platforms too.

This is how your offer could look like on VELTRA.

In one sentence Use VELTRA to reach travelers from Japan and translate your offers in East Asian languages.

Learn more about VELTRA and how to become a partner in our dedicated post on the topic .

Musement is a niche provider and dominates the in-destination experiences market in Italy. The Musement team is highly ambitious and the company has major plans to expand across different verticals in Europe and beyond.

• Monthly visits: 600,000+
• Key market: Italy
• Supported languages: 8
• Supported currencies: 52+

Main advantages 1. Great supplier support As a relatively small OTA, Musement has the capacity to provide a personal experience to its suppliers, pairing you with an account manager to assist you when using the platform.

2. Ease burden on customer service For bookings made through Musement, the OTA can handle both online and offline communication with customers, making it easier for you to keep up with customer service demands.

3. Strategic partnerships To tackle high customer acquisition costs, Musement is partnering with select companies like Vodafone Italy to derive synergies and increase bookings in a cost-efficient way. This gives Musement additional reach across Italy and Europe which makes it an even more reliable partner.

This is how your offer could look like on Musement.

In one sentence Use Musement to reach a wide range of (mostly) European travelers and ease the burden on customer service.

Learn more about Musement and how to become a supplier in our dedicated post on the topic .

By now you probably have a good idea of which OTAs are right for your business. But what if you want to partner with multiple platforms?

Managing several channels in addition to your website and offline sales is hard work. You need to keep track of multiple systems, input numbers and update your bookings calendar manually. That’s a lot of time and effort devoted to things that can be automated.

To make things easier, we’ve developed the Regiondo Channel Manager. It’s a robust system that lets you control multiple sales channels in one place. With over 140 active sales channels, including Viator, and GetYourGuide, you can keep track of all your bookings in one place.

To get started, you’ll need to create a free Regiondo account and activate the channels you want to use from the Channel Manager.

As we can see from the flights and hotel booking industries, OTAs are here to stay. Customers often prefer to compare deals and buy what they need in one place from websites they know and trust. Instead of fighting these tourism trends, it’s best to utilize it to your advantage by choosing the right OTAs to partner with.

Individual platforms present different benefits and the ones you choose will depend on your goals, strengths, and weaknesses.

If you want to reach East Asian travelers but don’t have the capacity to do it yourself, you can choose providers like Ctrip, Klook and VELTRA to do the groundwork for you.

Or maybe you’d like a cut in the large US market but can’t afford to advertise there. This is when the likes of Expedia LX and Viator could help.

And if you want the best of both worlds (new and old), while giving your customers superb customer service, GetYourGuide and Musement are the way to go.

Lastly, you can also partner with multiple OTAs to get the maximum exposure. This is a great option if you’re just starting out and need to fill capacity quickly.

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ABOUT JACKSFLIGHT CLUB

ABOUT JACKS FLIGHT CLUB

Reviewing the most popular online travel agencies

• Flight Hacking

Here at Jack’s Flight Club, we’re always on the lookout for awesome flight deals. Airline sales and Black Friday promos are great, but sometimes, it’s the discounts you get through online travel agencies (OTAs) on Skyscanner or Momondo that really get us excited. 

The thing is, JFC members often tell us that they’d rather pay more to book directly with an airline and avoid the risk of getting scammed. After all, how do we know that Skyscanner is legit ? Our article on OTA safety explains how these flight aggregators work and what you need to keep in mind when using them.

In short - Skyscanner and Momondo are genuine companies, and using them to find cheap fares won’t put you at risk. It’s actually the OTAs they redirect you to that you need to be savvy about. That’s where this article comes in. So, now we’re going to take a deep dive into how individual online travel agents stack up against each other. 

The OTAs listed here are a selection of the best-known names and the ones that appear most frequently in our deals. We’ll weigh in with stories from experienced JFC members and colleagues (watch out, eDreams), as well as taking a good look at consumer reviews and ratings on popular platforms like Trustpilot and TripAdvisor. 

But firstly, we’re going to examine how the OTA aggregators we use every day - Skyscanner and Momondo - rate the companies they advertise. So, is there actually any quality control, or do we have to rely on articles like this to tell us what’s up?

Quick reference

Do skyscanner and momondo rate their otas, how do other websites rate otas.

• Lastminute.com / Bravofly

CrystalTravel

Final thoughts.

In short - yes. Skyscanner reviews seem more transparent than Momondo’s, but both have a quality control system in place.

When someone makes a booking through Skyscanner, they’re invited to leave feedback and rate their booking. When you’re redirected to the OTA on Skyscanner, a short survey will appear asking you to give a thumbs-up or thumbs-down on your experience.

The data collected here all goes towards the star ratings Skyscanner gives its OTAs - you’ll see them when you click on a Skyscanner search result. 

Skyscanner reviews the feedback weekly and only takes into account feedback from the last three months. On one hand, it’s good to know you’re seeing up-to-date information reflecting recent experiences. On the other, a load of complaints 4 months ago might still put you off if you knew about them.

Their rating is based on:

• accuracy of the prices you see in search results, 
• clarity about extra fees (for bags, insurance, etc.),
• how good the OTA’s customer service is, 
• how easy the booking process is,
• and any other feedback they receive.

One of the main issues we find with the Skyscanner rating system is that you can’t read the feedback or reviews left for individual OTAs. There’s also no way of searching through all the OTAs they work with to check for the Skyscanner rating, so it all depends on which ones show up for the route you search.

Momondo are even less up front with their ratings - in fact, they don’t really rate them at all. Well-reviewed OTAs get a little medal symbol next to their names on the results page, with a pop-up box showing the areas they’re particularly good in. 

Unfortunately, even that doesn’t happen across all domains - momondo.com displays very few approval medals for OTAs in comparison to the European domains. For the purposes of this article, we’ll use the approvals on momondo.co.uk.

Both Skyscanner and Momondo let you sort results by cheapest, fastest, and best. While Skyscanner’s “best” category is decided by a combination of price and flight time, Momondo reviews sometimes factor into what shows up under “Best”- and apparently, so might the commission they receive from sales via that OTA.

As part of a wider umbrella of companies that includes familiar names like booking.com, kayak and cheapflights.com, Momondo also uses ratings and reviews gathered from its partner sites. While that’s no biggie on the face of it, their little medal symbols may have been awarded based on a completely different booking experience.

Consumer review sites like Trustpilot let anyone leave a review of their experience with a company. All you have to do is give the business a star rating out of 5 and leave a comment in the box below. Trustpilot balances its ratings to ensure the fairest score possible, giving priority to the most recent experiences.

The downside of these sites is that it’s hard to know if reviews are genuine, plus people are far more likely to leave a review if they are unhappy. The best way to get an overall picture is to check sites similar to Trustpilot, like sitejabber, or consumer review sites like Which?. Otherwise, you may find yourself spending hours trawling travel forums on TripAdvisor or Quora. Good news is, we’ve done it for you!

And that brings us to the juicy bit - our online travel agency reviews.

What we’ve heard: Our members have a LOT to say about eDreams, and we keep hearing the same complaint over and over again - hidden fees.

One member told us that after making his booking, he noticed an extra charge from eDreams on his bank statement. After some back and forth with eDreams’ customer service, he discovered they’d subscribed him to their prime membership without his permission. As compensation, he was offered a €20 discount off his next booking with them, but they completely ignored his refund requests until he threatened to open a fraud case via his bank.

Another member had a similar situation, where eDreams claimed the extra cash they charged her was for luggage fees, and she too was refused a refund. Someone else had an even weirder issue, when the company booked them on the wrong flight with the airline and refused to fix it. They claimed that his booking was for the flight he’d selected, and he’d have to pay again to change to the flight he originally wanted.

These stories are no exception - TripAdvisor is full of threads dedicated to slating eDreams for poor customer service, extra fees, and unexplained cancellations. As one unsatisfied customer put it on Yelp, “One could get more service out of a bunch of penguin juggling monkeys than eDreams”.

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner rates eDreams at 2/5 stars based on over 10.5k reviews. Since two of their main criteria are customer service and fees, we think we can work out why.

What Momondo says: Unexpectedly, Momondo gives eDreams the seal of approval . Either Momondo customers have been really lucky, or the search engine is just a bit out of touch, since they mention eDreams’ reliable pricing and good customer service.

What Trustpilot says: eDreams.com currently has a Trustpilot rating of 3.6/5 stars , though it’s worth noting that the majority of reviews there either leave a 5-star or 1-star rating. Another important point here is that many regional websites have a different rating, for example the Spanish website (where they’re based) only gets 2.1 stars, while Germany gets 3.5.

A common theme among the Trustpilot reviews is eDreams not refunding customers after their flight has been cancelled. Several people mention struggling to get through to customer service and waiting for months without any sign of getting their cash back. 

On the other hand, it is worth mentioning that there are more positive eDreams reviews on Trustpilot than negative. Several 5-star reviews say they got great customer service and had their problems resolved quickly.

Our verdict: Honestly, they wouldn’t be our first choice. Even when eDreams comes up cheapest, we’d hesitate due to the risk of being booked on the wrong flights or being hit with hidden fees like our members.

What we’ve heard: One Quora thread describes Kiwi.com as “legal scammers”, using loopholes and fine print to take advantage of customers. Multiple posters mention that they’ve been denied a refund for cancelled flights purchased through Kiwi, then being told by their customer service that buying a new flight is the only option.

We also came across stories of being issued fake tickets for cheap connecting flights. When the unsuspecting passenger arrived at the airport, they were told their name wasn’t even on the flight. Even if you put this down to human error on Kiwi’s side, you’d expect the passenger to have received a full refund instead of the 60% they actually got.

With that in mind, you can’t blame us for being a little sceptical when we read about Kiwi’s recent dispute with Ryanair, who accused them of issuing fake boarding passes . Kiwi claimed that there’s “no such thing as a fake boarding pass”, stating that Ryanair were just grumpy with them for selling their tickets for less than they cost on the Ryanair website. Either way, it’s not a good look.

Those are just the highlights. We found a lot more like that, including countless articles about families losing out on thousands of dollars due to Kiwi bookings falling through.

What Skyscanner says: With over 23.5k reviews on Skyscanner, the surprising 3.5/5-star rating is pretty decent. 

That means most people leaving a Kiwi.com review on Skyscanner find that the fares they’re quoted match what they end up paying, and any extra fees are clear. Customer service experiences may have been alright as well, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been problems - it just means that they’ve been resolved.

What Momondo says: Once again, we can’t really get more from Momondo than what you see in the image below. They’ve awarded Kiwi a medal , and state that their customers have confirmed reliable pricing and good customer service.

What Trustpilot says: At just 1.7 stars out of 5 , Kiwi reviews on Trustpilot look a lot more like what you’d expect after the horror stories we’ve seen.

The most common complaints are problems getting through to customer service agents (and not just a bot), and refunds taking ages - sometimes years - or not being honoured in full. 

You’ll also find more stories about the cancellation of a single flight in a multi-leg journey that ruined a whole trip. Because Kiwi is the airline’s customer, the airline contacts Kiwi to notify them of the change, rather than letting the passenger themselves know directly. 

Several people report that this information wasn’t passed on to them, and are then forced to pay excessive prices for a last-minute alternative. In the situations where they were notified about the cancellation, Kiwi had already requested a refund for that leg from the airline, instead of giving the customer the option to reschedule directly with the airline. That leaves the customer having no choice but to book a replacement flight (again, for crazy money) through Kiwi. 

On the other hand, like with eDreams, there are a few really positive reviews on there too. People who have genuinely had no problems and say they’re glad they didn’t read all the negative reviews before booking.

Our verdict: Generally speaking, people are much more likely to leave reviews when they’re angry than when things go well, which could explain the difference in rating between Trustpilot and Skyscanner. 

That said, you could be taking a chance by going with Kiwi - especially if you’re booking an expensive multi-leg trip for the whole family. This seems like a prime example of why paying more to book directly with the airline is worth it for security alone. 

What we’ve heard: Back in 2011, Opodo was bought out by eDreams, which kind of sets the tone for us. On top of that, Which? rates Opodo among the worst flight booking sites out there. 

News websites are full of headlines complaining about Opodo ignoring customers following flight cancellations, passengers being booked on the wrong flights, and huge fees to make changes or cancellations.

Like eDreams, we’ve heard of customers automatically being signed up for a Prime subscription without consent. Given that we rarely see Opodo coming up as the cheapest OTA, we can’t imagine choosing to tie yourself to their services would ever be worth it.

TripAdvisor’s forums are not so full of brutal Opodo reviews, though there are still enough to make you think twice. These mostly relate to long waiting periods for refunds after flights that were cancelled due to the pandemic, which shouldn’t be so surprising, really.

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner gives Opodo a very average 3/5 stars . That figures, given that most complaints we’ve seen relate to airline cancellation issues and fees for reimbursement. What else can we really expect from a third-party company who makes money by doing the legwork for us (or not)? 

Based on many Opodo reviews that we found on Trustpilot (more on that below), we can actually believe that their customer service isn’t all bad. It seems likely that customer ratings here were either really positive or really negative, landing them firmly in the middle.

What Momondo says: Surprise, surprise, Momondo think Opodo are alright too, with another award for reliable pricing and good customer service. We kind of believe it this time, though!

There are very few average Opodo reviews, with most either leaving a damning one star or a congratulatory five stars. The most common complaints include charging customers for flights without sending confirmation emails, and applying large service fees when issuing refunds.

On the other hand, the numerous 5-star reviews sing the praises of customer service staff, saying problems were solved efficiently, and the agents were very friendly. It seems like once Opodo customers manage to reach a human instead of a bot, things often go okay.

Our verdict: In the unlikely event that Opodo comes up cheapest on Skyscanner or Momondo, we wouldn’t automatically discount them. Just know that if your flight is cancelled, it’ll take at least six months to get a refund - and that you will not be refunded the full amount. Reading the Ts & Cs of your booking will be well worth the time and effort, so you can make an informed decision.

We’d also suggest that when you’re going through the booking process, double check that no boxes are automatically checked to sign you up for their Prime membership. Uncheck everything and start again from the top, just to be sure!

What we’ve heard: This one is kinda fun for us, since our team has personal experience of a fairly common scam we’ve heard going around. Head Flight Finder Tristan booked a cheap flight from Mexico City to Orlando via trip.com. Luckily, he was still sitting by his computer when he got a message saying that the initial payment hadn’t gone through, and he had to call up to confirm his details within 15 minutes, otherwise the fare would increase.

This tale made us question whether trip.com is legit , but we couldn’t find other reports of this happening with trip.com. In fact, the greatest issue most people report with their bookings is confirmation emails containing incorrect dates or missing information. But since trip.com is a Chinese company, they have no obligation to offer 24-hour free cancellation like in the US and Europe. You’re then faced with no other choice but to pay a hefty change or cancellation fee.

A more unusual story that kept popping up actually happened once people had successfully received their ticket confirmation and airline booking reference. Upon logging into the airline portal to check all the flight details were in order, customers were able to see the names and credit card details of the people who booked the ticket on their behalf. 

In one instance, the trip.com agent had booked a passenger’s plane ticket using the name of a famous German tennis star (we just want to know which one!), a credit card with a name that didn’t match, and a fake email address. Thankfully, this didn’t cause any problems for the passenger, but had the card been reported as stolen, for example, they’d have been out of luck.

We also found out that trip.com and Skyscanner are actually owned by the same parent company. It would be naive to think that won’t have some impact on their ranking or position in the results.

What Skyscanner says: Trip.com gets lots of reviews on Skyscanner, despite being a fairly young company based in China - perhaps that’s down to their relationship with Skyscanner, perhaps they just know how to offer a good deal.

It’s another solidly average 3.5 stars , which reinforces the mixed bag of experiences out there. From what we’ve read, they don’t seem to go in for hidden fees, and the booking process seems easy enough (at first, at least). We reckon those lower ratings are probably down to weird experiences like Tristan’s, as well as unorthodox booking practices and unhelpful customer service.

What Momondo says: In the words of Ronan Keating, “You say it best when you say nothing at all”. Not only does Momondo not give trip.com a medal, it doesn’t even show up in any of the results we’ve seen - and that applies across all the domains we checked.

What’s the beef here? We need to know… Could it be that whole parent company/Skyscanner thing again?

What Trustpilot says: Trip.com does okay on Trustpilot, with 3.5/5 stars . Sifting through the reviews reveals a pleasant mixture of positive 5-star ratings and angry 1-star ratings, stating that they would have given it 0 stars if that were even possible.

The common thread in most one-star trip.com reviews is poor customer service. But when you look a little closer, that’s often coupled with customer errors - forgetting to include middle names during booking, choosing trips with layovers that are really short - and there’s very little the customer service agents can do other than charge fees to change them.

There are still plenty of mentions of familiar complaints as well, though, like trip.com issuing tickets for the incorrect flights, delayed email responses, and genuine surprise that OTAs don’t offer the flexibility you might get from an airline.

We also found one review with a similar story to Tristan’s. This person didn’t receive a booking confirmation within 24 hours, so when they followed up, trip.com denied that the booking existed and requested an extra $165 from them. When the customer checked the airline website, fares had increased by $100 since they tried booking, so they knew trip.com had messed up and wanted someone else to pay for it.

Our verdict: We don’t love the tricks they try to pull - they don’t seem to happen frequently, but once is enough to leave a sour taste. Otherwise, trip.com seems okay around 50% of the time. It’s a gamble, but if the price is right...

What we’ve heard: GotoGate frequently show up with nice OTA discounts, so we’re quite relieved to say we haven’t heard too much on the negative side. In fact, we’ve had way more positive GotoGate reviews from JFCers booking deals than we have negative.

The most common complaint we’ve had from our members involves delayed refunds on tickets affected by COVID cancellations, and this seems to be the case across travel forums like TripAdvisor as well. 

Understandably, nobody wants to wait 6+ months for a refund, or argue that they’re due their money back. This is definitely a situation where you need to be up to speed with the Ts & Cs of your booking.

Their customer service team does take a beating online, with several posts questioning whether they even exist. Customers who do manage to get through have apparently had waiting times of upwards of one hour - that definitely doesn’t sound appealing.

What Skyscanner says: Oh dear, it seems like most passengers booking via Skyscanner haven’t been so lucky, since GotoGate are rated at a measly 2.5/5 stars .

We’re confident this comes down to poor customer service and the issues many people have faced when trying to get a refund. There’s nothing to suggest that GotoGate fail on Skyscanner’s other criteria, like hidden fees and ease of booking, at least.

What Momondo says: As we’ve seen with other OTAs, it doesn’t take much to get a slice of the Momondo medal pie. That’s maybe why GotoGate get Momondo approval , along with a little highlight for reliable pricing and good customer service.

Maybe customers booking through Momondo have just been really lucky?

What Trustpilot says: GotoGate is another one with multiple Trustpilot listings depending on your domain, but most of them seem to agree that it’s not a winner. Gotogate.com gets 2/5 stars , while gotogate.co.uk gets 2.4/5 stars . Looks like you’ll have to book via gotogate.pt if you want a decent experience.

The comments say exactly what we’d expect after reading other forums - refunds haven’t been paid out to customers, despite the airlines refunding the OTA. You’ll also find several people slating them for charging lots for changes and extras, but this is fairly standard for OTAs. 

A little more worryingly, there are a few reports of people buying their COVID insurance package to cover flight cancellations and still having these issues. One customer had to pay extra for the refund to be processed and then waited 6 months to receive their cash.

Our verdict: Don’t rule them out, despite the negative reviews. If they’re offering a great discount off the airline price, it’s worth booking your flights with them. Just do yourself a favour and check that all your information (names, birthdays, etc.) is entered correctly, and choose a route with feasible layovers. 

What we’ve heard: Somehow, Expedia seem to have avoided major scandal when it comes to flight sales (though they might have made a few mistakes on their hotel side…). They are the biggest travel agency in the world and also own a few other familiar names, including Trivago, Hotels.com, CheapTickets and Vrbo, so they probably know what they’re doing by this point.

Where we have seen complaints, they’re all surrounding cancelled flights and problems contacting customer service. A familiar story at this point. Many people on forums said they used to use Expedia religiously but never would again, so things may be going downhill here. 

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner reviews of Expedia clearly reflect the recent trend, leaving them with only 2/5 stars . This rating seems very poor to only be the result of customer service issues and old COVID-related cancellation problems, so there must be some lasting issues.

What Momondo says: Expedia does show up on Momondo, however they don’t get any medal of approval. This could be down to the poor customer reviews, or it could be down to Momondo being owned by Expedia’s biggest rival, Booking.com. 

We love a bit of drama, so we’ll assume it’s the latter.

What Trustpilot says: Wow, we didn’t quite expect it to be this bad - Expedia scores just 1.1/5 stars in the US and 1.2 in the UK on Trustpilot.

Every recent review we saw gave them one star and said to avoid due to cancellation problems. These were likely down to the post-pandemic flight chaos and not Expedia's fault, but most flight-related complaints make it seem impossible to get a refund from them. Or where people managed to change their itinerary, they generally had to pay a big fee. 

One passenger mentioned that they were told they’d be charged £250 (approx. $290) to adjust their flights. Instead, they were charged the full fare again and had to wait 8 weeks for the difference to be refunded. Not exactly ideal if you don’t have the spare cash just lying around in your account. 

It’s worth mentioning that since Expedia are also one of the largest hotel booking sites, there are several complaints relating to problems with accommodation reservations too. Usually we’d say this could skew the results, but we’ve not seen much evidence to back that up.

Our verdict: It just goes to show that digging a bit deeper is always worth it - Expedia may not have the bad headlines, but they sure know how to anger their customers. In short, we’d be cautious about booking with Expedia wherever possible unless you have some back-up cash. 

Lastminute.com/Bravofly

What we’ve heard: Latminute.com has been on the scene for a long time, and in some ways we thought of them less like an OTA and more like TUI or another travel agent. But recently we’ve heard some complaints that make us see them in a different light. We also learned that another OTA, Bravofly, acquired the lastminute brand in 2015, so if you’re buying from one, you’re buying from them both - sneaky.

In 2021, Which? Travel published an article saying lastminute.com should be your last resort. The major complaints they cited were failing to refund customers within the legal timeframe, as well as charging a £25 fee for carrying out said refunds.

Pandemic cancellations definitely caused flight chaos, so we checked to see how reviews were looking these days - spoiler alert: it ain’t great. Continued cancellation chaos and un-refunded flights get frequent mentions like other OTAs, but there was also one particularly weird story we found.

A customer made her booking through lastminute.com, but when she looked at the payment on her bank statement, it said lastminute.kiwi.com. It turns out that at some point during the payment process, she’d been redirected to a domain giving away the fact that lastminute and kiwi are in cahoots. 

To be fair, they don’t try to keep it secret - if you go to lastminute.kiwi.com, it’s there in plain sight. It’s pretty unclear whether they’re lastminute or kiwi or both, or if this is some weird scam, but it all makes us want to avoid them even more.

What Skyscanner says: Skyscanner reviews make lastminute.com seem much less scary. There are a lot of them, and with 3.5 stars , it feels like there’s a good chance you won’t lose all your money. The same goes for Bravofly, who get 3/5 stars .

According to Skyscanner’s rating process, you’d expect most people found the fees and booking process fairly clear. And if we had to guess what let them down, we’d assume it’s the curse of the OTA customer service. What we read on Trustpilot only backed that up…

What Momondo says: Momondo gives lastminute.com one of their medals and the standard reliable pricing and good customer service shout-outs. Strangely, Bravofly doesn’t get the same recognition despite them being one and the same.

What Trustpilot says: It’s not great for lastminute over on Trustpilot, at 2/5 stars . There are several complaints calling their customer service unprofessional, while others say they just never receive a reply to their emails. On top of that, many are finding it virtually impossible to get a refund for their cancelled flights.

If that doesn’t put you off, these stories will. One customer says that they bought their luggage upgrade along with their flights through lastminute, who then cancelled the bags but not the flight. The customer was then left with flights they couldn’t take because they needed their luggage too.

Another person reports paying extra for priority boarding and seat selection, only to discover when their boarding passes arrived that their group had been given randomly allocated seats anyway. Of course, they then had to pay extra to the airline at the check-in desk to make sure they could sit together.

Unfortunately for Bravofly , the story is much the same, with 2.3/5 stars . We found more reports of customers buying extras that didn’t pay off, like one who purchased the “flex package” so they could change their flights without a fee. Despite requesting a change, they never got any confirmation until Bravofly said they’d tried calling about the change and couldn’t reach them. The customer then called up and was told it would cost more than double what they’d originally paid to change their booking.

There are some positive reviews there to balance things up, though. Easy booking experiences, timely check-in info and boarding card delivery, and smooth transfers are all mentioned, so perhaps they’re not all bad?

Our verdict: We’ll pass on lastminute.com and Bravofly. From the weird kiwi payment story to ignoring the overpriced extras people have purchased from them, they just don’t feel like the good guys. 

What we’ve heard: We’ve only heard suspiciously good things about TravelUp. We say suspicious because at this point, we just can’t believe there’s an OTA that doesn’t have at least some complaints. Everything we found on the TripAdvisor forum was pretty dated and always regarding cancellations or change fees. No surprises there.

We checked out consumer review page sitejabber to see what the angry mob had to say there, and instead we found people singing the praises of customer service agents and complimenting the website’s ease of use and “calming background colors”. It all sounds pretty great, to be honest.

That is, until we stumbled upon some (unfortunately private) Facebook groups with names along the lines of ‘TravelUp Unfair Fees’ and ‘Travelup ripoff’. One of the groups has 1.4k members and has been active for the last two years, so it’s clearly not all sunshine and roses. 

And the Yelp reviews agree. There aren’t many, but they all say to steer clear of TravelUp. As well as the expected complaints about change and cancellation fees, there were some reports of the company changing flight itineraries without passengers’ permission, which had a knock-on effect for entry visas into certain countries. Not cool, TravelUp.

What Skyscanner says: Travelup reviews on Skyscanner echo the more positive vibes with 3.5/5 stars . It’s not all singing and dancing, so there clearly are some less-than-happy customers out there. But when the rating is based on nearly 22k pieces of feedback, we’d say that’s pretty good going.

What Momondo says: We’re not shocked to see Momondo giving the seal of approval , either. It would be more surprising if they didn’t, honestly. We kind of believe the reliable pricing and good customer service shout-outs this time, mostly because we don’t think they have a “good colour scheme” option.

What Trustpilot says: It’s really something to see a company rated ‘Great’ with 4/5 stars on Trustpilot. There are lots of reviews posted there to back this up, too, saying how fast and efficient the booking process is and how helpful the customer service agents were. 

Many of those posts included the words “so far”, or mentioned that they’d not yet taken their flights. We only hope that there actually is one for them to take when they arrive at the airport, unlike one incredibly unimpressed customer reported in her one-star rating.

Scrolling down, we found some more negative reviews. There were familiar stories, including changing itineraries and huge cancellation fees, as well as complaints about long waiting times to reach their call centre. That said, the percentage of 1-star and 2-star reviews they receive is still much lower than the number of 5-star reviews. 

Our verdict: Weighing everything up, it really seems like TravelUp are fairly reliable. The vast majority of reviews are positive, and where there are complaints, it’s often to do with change fees. There are a few causes for concern, but that certainly doesn’t seem to be the norm here. We’d use them - but only after reading the cancellation policy thoroughly, and we’d make sure to check for any itinerary changes regularly.

What we’ve heard: CrystalTravel seems kind of like a tale of two extremes. We’ve seen them offer really nice prices and read positive comments about booking experiences, but we’ve also seen the wrath of angry customers plastered all over forums and review sites.

There are multiple posts on TripAdvisor and sitejabber that report “ghost fare” tactics - that’s when you’re offered a price that doesn’t really exist. It might go up when you click through to the booking page, or they might contact you once you think the deal is done and dusted to let you know that the price is no longer available. That’s usually when they’ll try and up-sell whatever more expensive fares are still going.

Lots of people also complain that they’ve not received any booking confirmation, even months after booking. The question is, have CrystalTravel even booked the flights with the airline, or are they playing roulette and waiting to make a bit of extra cash when fares go down?

And to add insult to injury, it seems that they don’t answer their phones or emails either.   

What Skyscanner says: We couldn’t actually find CrystalTravel on any Skyscanner results, which seemed pretty unusual. So we contacted CrystalTravel through their website chat to ask them if they advertise through Skyscanner.

The customer service agent got back to us very quickly (nice work) to say that they were sorry, Skyscanner is not one of their business partners. They then very quickly followed up with, “If you want to make a booking cheaper, I can do that for you”. 

5/5 stars from us on that offer, but unfortunately we weren’t in the market for any holidays at the time of writing.

What Momondo says: Good news, Momondo likes them ! We don’t feel like it means much, though, especially when we see so many reviews elsewhere reporting shady behaviour.

What Trustpilot says: Unbelievable to the point of real suspicion, CrystalTravel score 4.8/5 stars on Trustpilot. We’re not sure how they did it, but the reviews are glowing. Everyone says how quick and easy the website is and how great the communication was with the customer service agent. 

Interestingly, lots of the reviewers seem to know the full name of the person they spoke to in customer service, and most of them have the surname Smith. We’re not sure whether we’ve ever had a customer service agent give us their full name before, but it does make the following point seem more plausible.

When you sift through to find the negative reviews, there are lots of accusations claiming the positive reviews are fake and that they are scammers. Most complaints again include ghost fares and itinerary changes that were apparently not initiated by the airlines.

Our verdict: The shiny reviews make it look good, but we have a couple of big questions. Why aren’t they on Skyscanner? And why are they changing customer bookings when the airlines haven’t changed anything? 

We wouldn’t want to entertain the idea of fake reviews on Trustpilot, but we’re just not sure what the truth is here… One thing we would say in their defence is that their webchat communication was really fast, so if you’re just looking for a chat and potential holiday discounts, go for it. 

After diving deep into the world of OTAs, it’s fair to say that we’ve been left a little jaded. You can never have full confidence in any third-party booking site, especially when even the highest-rated online travel agencies still manage to get slated so hard.

Seeing all the details Skyscanner considers when awarding a rating, we find their star ratings much more believable than Momondo's medals. As we've seen here, there's no customisation to tell you what the individual OTA is great at, and you can't actually see how positive or negative customer feedback has been.

However, there are a few OTAs in there that we think are worth giving a go, no matter whether you get there via Skyscanner or Momondo. TravelUp and Gotogate in particular have a fair balance of good and bad reviews, which we find much more realistic than ratings that seem too good to be true. 

Most of the negative feedback for all the OTAs we've looked here at comes as a result of human error - typos in names, wrong dates of birth, incorrect flight dates - or cancellation issues. So long as you actually read the Ts & Cs and cancellation policy (and can stomach the amount you’ll have to pay if you do need to make a change), you should be alright.

Just don’t get lured in by any of their extras, and make sure to uncheck every box and recheck only the things you need before paying - especially if you find yourself on eDreams.

Katy is a seasoned budget traveller living in Scotland with her husband and two cats. She has already been to every country in the EU and is now working on grand plans to conquer the rest of the world. When she’s not writing up travel inspo for The Detour, she’s usually researching her next trip.

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Frequently asked questions about KAYAK

How do i find travel deals on kayak.

Simply use one of our travel search engines to scan for prices gathered from hundreds of travel sites. KAYAK’s search results pages have loads of filter options to help you find deals, discover exactly what you’re looking for and make booking seamless. Plus, there’s no extra fee from KAYAK.

What makes KAYAK a great travel app?

On the KAYAK app for iOS and Android you’ll find all the great travel offers found on the website and much more. There are special mobile rates and app only deals that allow you to save even more money. Plus, you can get notifications straight to your phone letting you know when prices for your next trip have dropped. But the KAYAK app is much more than just a travel app. Use the Trips function to manage your travel itinerary and get up to date status alerts on flights, check-in changes and to store your boarding pass. Even if you’re in the middle of nowhere on your travels, you can still access your travel notes via Trips, as no internet connection is required.

How can I use KAYAK to manage my travel bookings?

KAYAK Trips creates a travel itinerary for you that will give you flight status alerts, can be shared with friends and more. Simply forward your booking confirmations to [email protected] or use the KAYAK app and sync your email account to keep all your travel plans organized in one app, even if you didn’t book with KAYAK. You can share your holiday plans with friends and family and also check out your travel stats for past vacations, like how far you’ve traveled, your most popular cities and how many times you’ve traveled around the world. Even if you don’t have signal, don’t worry, as you can access Trips to check out your itineraries whilst on the road. Your data is safe and secure with us and you won’t have to re-enter credit card info when booking future trips. If you want to make changes or cancel bookings, then you should contact the travel provider, which is provided on the booking confirmation.

What are KAYAK Price Alerts?

Instead of manually checking back in on the price of your next flight or stay, let KAYAK do the hard work for you with KAYAK Price Alerts. Once you’ve saved your search, our data will determine how the price will rise or fluctuate over the coming days. You’ll then get a push notification letting you know when’s the perfect time to book.

Search flights , hotels , rental cars , travel guides and more with KAYAK. KAYAK searches hundreds of other travel sites at once to get you the information you need to make the right decisions.

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Get the best deal without the hassle: The best sites to book flights

If you're not booking direct, try one of these sites to book flights.

Finding cheap flights can feel like a full-time job, with prices varying wildly across different booking sites and search engines. Spend too little time searching, and you could easily overpay. But go down an endless rabbit hole of flight searches, and the “deal” you scored may not be worth the hassle. 

Google Flights: The easy, feature-packed option

• Kayak: The price comparison specialist  

Capital One Travel: Great value for cardholders

Expedia: bundle flights, hotels and earn rewards, bottom line.

The good news is that not all flight search engines are created equal. Some make it easier to find great deals without the headache of combing through countless options and websites. When you use the right flight booking site for your needs, you can take the stress out of trip planning while still saving big. 

Don’t worry – we’re here to help! We compiled some of the best sites to book flights and get fantastic value with minimal effort.

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For simplicity combined with powerful search capabilities and features, it’s hard to beat Google Flights. Just enter your origin, destination, and travel dates, and Google instantly pulls flight results from across hundreds of airlines and online travel agencies. 

The search filters are robust. You can quickly narrow things down by airline, number of stops, departure times, flight duration, price range, and more. You can even filter out basic economy fares or flights on certain aircraft types. 

One of the most useful features is the explore map, which is great for finding cheap destinations if your travel dates are at least somewhat flexible. Just select your home airport and possible travel dates, and Google will show you the lowest fares to different regions of the world.

The main downside of Google Flights is that it doesn’t always surface the absolute cheapest fares, particularly for international routes to less traveled destinations. But for a fast, clean search experience with plenty of customization, Google Flights is tough to top.

Kayak: The price comparison specialist  

While Google Flights queries a huge range of sources, Kayak takes things even further by scanning across hundreds of individual airline and online travel agency websites to try to find the lowest fares. It doesn’t sell tickets directly, but it streamlines the booking process by linking you straight to the cheapest option to finalize your purchase.

Kayak’s flexible date search calendar is cleanly designed and makes it easy to see at a glance the cheapest days to fly for your particular route. You can quickly compare fares across an entire month or two to find the best deal. But most importantly, in testing, Kayak frequently surfaces lower fares than Google Flights, especially for international routes. 

For frequent Capital One credit card users, the issuer’s dedicated travel portal could be the most rewarding flight booking site. Key benefits include bonus rewards on travel purchases made through the portal as well as statement credits that can trim costs.

Those with the premium Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earn a hefty 5x miles spent on flights and hotels booked through Capital One Travel. In addition, Venture X cardholders receive up to a $300 annual travel credit that can be used to offset bookings made through the Capital One Travel portal.

So, booking even just a modest $300 flight through the portal would essentially make it free after factoring in the travel credit.

Capital One Travel also partners with travel data company Hopper to provide pricing forecasts and recommendations on when to book to get the best deal. As an added incentive, they’ll give you up to a $50 credit toward future travel if the price drops for the same itinerary within 10 days of when you booked with their recommendation.

For some travelers, factors like earning rewards from bookings and packaging flights with hotels can be higher priorities than finding the absolute rock-bottom price. 

For those looking at the fuller picture, Expedia could be the best flight booking site.

Through Expedia’s new One Key rewards program, travelers earn back 0.2% of their flight booking cost in the form of OneKeyCash. It’s not a huge return, but it can help offset costs a bit and stack with rewards earned from your credit card and the airline itself.

More compelling are the credits you’ll earn toward elite status in the One Key program. Work your way up to the higher elite tiers, and you’ll unlock benefits like bonus OneKeyCash earnings, hotel upgrades, and price protection on bookings.

Additionally, Expedia advertises potential savings of up to 30% when bundling your hotel and flight into a vacation package. While actual discounts will likely be smaller in many cases, it’s still worth pricing out the package option if you need both air and hotel for an upcoming trip.

At the end of the day, there is no definitive “best” flight booking site for every situation. The right option for you will depend on your particular priorities and how much time and effort you’re willing to invest to potentially save a bit more.

For those looking for simplicity and a quick, powerful search experience, it’s hard to beat Google Flights. For comparing prices across the most sources, Kayak is a great option. Those wanting to earn extra rewards or discounts for packaging a hotel should look at sites like Expedia, while certain Capital One cardholders can get value from the issuer’s travel portal.

Whichever route you take, using the right flight booking site for your needs can make finding a great deal much easier.

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Thailand's a magnet for tourists, and for good reason! From its mouthwatering food to its stunning scenery, there's something for everyone. But timing your trip right can make all the difference. Here's a breakdown to help you pick the perfect time to visit Thailand:  The best time to visit Thailand for good weather

For many travelers, the cool and dry season from November to February is considered the best time to visit Thailand for optimal weather conditions. This is when the whole country sighs in relief – comfortable temperatures, low humidity, and barely a drop of rain. 

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In a recent study conducted by Turbli, a leading aviation research firm, the most turbulent flight paths in the United States were identified, highlighting regions where passengers are most likely to encounter the daunting effects of rough air. From coast to coast, these are the routes that test even the most seasoned flyers. What is turbulence?

Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships). A paid subscription is required for full access.

• Most used online travel agencies Asia 2023, by country

Most used online travel agencies in Asia as of June 2023, by country or territory

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Rakuten Insight

August 2023

June 12 to 30, 2023

73,601 respondents

16 years and older

Original question "Which of these online travel agencies have you used before? (choose all answers that apply)" Figures have been rounded. Number of respondents by country: China: 3,633; Hong Kong: 2,891; Indonesia: 6,055; India: 16,741; Japan: 535; South Korea: 3,817; Malaysia: 8,718; the Philippines: 4,860; Singapore: 5,215; Thailand: 10,685; Taiwan: 8,655; and Vietnam: 1,796.

Other statistics on the topic Tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region

• Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033
• Tourist arrivals SEA 2021, by country

Leisure Travel

• Number of international tourist arrivals APAC 2013-2022, by subregion
• Total travel and tourism GDP contribution Southeast Asia 2015-2033

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Statistics on " Tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region "

• Total travel and tourism GDP contribution APAC 2022-2033, by country
• Inbound visitor growth APAC 2021-2025, by subregion
• Outbound visitor growth APAC 2021-2025, by subregion
• Travel and tourism's direct contribution to employment APAC 2022, by country
• Travel services share of service exports APAC 2022, by country
• Travel services share of service imports APAC 2022, by country
• Online travel market scale APAC 2023, by country
• Value of international tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
• Value of domestic tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
• Value of domestic tourism expenditure Southeast Asia 2013-2022
• Most expensive cities for business travel APAC Q4 2022, by daily cost
• YoY change in monthly international tourist arrivals APAC 2023, by subregion
• Tourist arrivals ASEAN 2013-2022
• Tourist arrivals ASEAN 2021, by country or region of origin
• Monthly travel accommodation occupancy rate APAC 2020-2023
• YoY change in monthly number of hotel bookings APAC 2023, by subregion
• YoY change in monthly international seat capacity APAC 2023
• YoY change in monthly domestic seat capacity APAC 2023
• Usage of online travel agencies Asia 2023, by country
• Usage of online travel agencies for package holidays Asia 2023, by country
• Usage of online travel agencies for transportation Asia 2023, by country
• Usage of online travel agencies for accommodation Asia 2023, by country
• Usage of online travel agencies for car rental Asia 2023, by country

Other statistics that may interest you Tourism industry in the Asia-Pacific region

• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism: share of global GDP 2019-2033
• Basic Statistic Total travel and tourism GDP contribution APAC 2022-2033, by country
• Basic Statistic Total travel and tourism GDP contribution Southeast Asia 2015-2033
• Premium Statistic Inbound visitor growth APAC 2021-2025, by subregion
• Premium Statistic Outbound visitor growth APAC 2021-2025, by subregion
• Premium Statistic Number of international tourist arrivals APAC 2013-2022, by subregion

Economic impact

• Basic Statistic Travel and tourism's direct contribution to employment APAC 2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Travel services share of service exports APAC 2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Travel services share of service imports APAC 2022, by country
• Premium Statistic Online travel market scale APAC 2023, by country

Tourism expenditure

• Basic Statistic Value of international tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
• Basic Statistic Value of domestic tourism spending APAC 2022, by country
• Basic Statistic Value of domestic tourism expenditure Southeast Asia 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Most expensive cities for business travel APAC Q4 2022, by daily cost
• Premium Statistic YoY change in monthly international tourist arrivals APAC 2023, by subregion
• Premium Statistic Tourist arrivals ASEAN 2013-2022
• Premium Statistic Tourist arrivals SEA 2021, by country
• Premium Statistic Tourist arrivals ASEAN 2021, by country or region of origin

Occupancy rates

• Premium Statistic Monthly travel accommodation occupancy rate APAC 2020-2023
• Premium Statistic YoY change in monthly number of hotel bookings APAC 2023, by subregion
• Premium Statistic YoY change in monthly international seat capacity APAC 2023
• Premium Statistic YoY change in monthly domestic seat capacity APAC 2023

Online travel

• Premium Statistic Usage of online travel agencies Asia 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Usage of online travel agencies for package holidays Asia 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Usage of online travel agencies for transportation Asia 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Usage of online travel agencies for accommodation Asia 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Usage of online travel agencies for car rental Asia 2023, by country
• Premium Statistic Most used online travel agencies Asia 2023, by country

Further Content: You might find this interesting as well

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Booking travel online? Here's how you can avoid scams

Morgan Macfarlane arrived at her hotel in Orizaba, Mexico, last May, ready to quickly drop her bags off and go get dinner. But when she tried to check in, an employee told her they weren’t fully operational yet and didn’t have an advanced booking system.

She had booked the room and prepaid about $40 through Airbnb and pulled up the confirmation on the platform’s app on her phone. 

“And he was like, ‘That isn’t our listing,’” the 27-year-old digital advertising associate and travel content creator said.

While the address was the same, the listing she booked turned out to be fake, she said. Airbnb refunded Macfarlane’s money, and she paid in cash to stay the night at the hotel. An Airbnb spokesperson said the host had since been banned.

"False listings of course have no place on our platform," the spokesperson said in an email. "The host never received any money through Airbnb since we handle the payments for reservations and hosts do not receive initial payouts until 24 hours after a successful check-in."

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Macfarlane is not alone.

A recent survey of more than 7,000 adults in seven countries – including over 1,000 in the U.S. – from online protection company McAfee found that 35% of American respondents had been the victim of a scam while booking travel online, or know someone who has. The survey results released earlier this month also showed that 40% of those who had money stolen lost over $1,000 prior to their trip as a result.

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Among U.S. adults surveyed, 13% also said they had given credit card information to a fake website that was then used for fraudulent payments. Here’s how travelers can avoid falling prey to travel booking scams online.

How can travelers avoid scams online?

Steve Grobman, McAfee’s senior vice president and chief technology officer, said travelers should be on their guard while browsing. “The scammers know that there are people that are bargain hunting,” he said.

◾If travelers are looking at listings through a third party, they need to read reviews for the specific property, in the case of a vacation rental, for instance. Macfarlane said the listing she booked didn’t have any reviews but had photos that looked legitimate.

◾If travelers are not browsing on a well-known travel site, such as Airbnb or Vrbo, they should pay close attention to the payment methods accepted. Grobman warned never to pay by wire transfer, cryptocurrency or gift cards, which they often will not be able to get back.

“The scammers will actually sometimes use the fact that something is a good deal as rationale for why they're insisting on those forms of payments,” he said. “They'll say, you know, ‘How can we offer such a good deal? It's because we don't have the overhead of traditional credit cards.’”

◾If a deal looks too good to be true, Grobman added, it probably is. 

He said that fraudulent sites look “almost identical” to legitimate ones, making it very difficult to tell them apart. Those running the fake site may even add forged ratings, and vary them so they look more real.

“They'll do things like that to add credibility, because people have gotten in the habit of looking for things like ratings or looking for certain telltale signs that we all see on legitimate sites,” Grobman said.

He suggested trying to validate that the site exists, such as checking to see whether it has been referenced in legitimate media outlets.

Fake booking sites may also use some of the same techniques as above-board businesses, like buying keywords on Google and tracking users who may be looking for those sites. “That's why if you visit one of these sites and decide not to make a transaction, you could still get a targeted ad popping up in your browser and social media a couple of hours later, that would be for the same location that you might have been researching,” Grobman said.

◾Using a VPN, or virtual private network , that hides your IP address and physical location can help prevent that kind of tracking, he noted.

Booking travel with a VPN: Can using one save you money on hotels, car rentals? I tested it out

Can you use ChatGPT as a travel agent?: Here's what I learned about AI vacation planning

What can you do if you get scammed online?

If a traveler paid by credit card, they can call the credit card company and dispute the charge, which a scammer will have a much harder time justifying than a real business. For those who have booked through a reputable broker but run into an issue with the person who listed the property or other service, Grobman said those platforms can typically mediate.

Travelers who may have been the target of a scam can also report it to the Federal Trade Commission and their state attorney general, according to the FTC’s website .

“If you can stick to sites that have a high reputation and have safeguards in place, that's always preferable,” Grobman said.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at [email protected].